City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 4.6% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $104,600 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by −4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,612 in Richmond | $104,589 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
83 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Richmond, VA | Real change, Cape Coral → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $61,290 | $64,103 (+6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $132,120 | $138,183 (+8.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $84,220 | $88,085 (+10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $93,580 | $97,875 (+18.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.