City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 5.5% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $105,500 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,808 in Rochester | $105,476 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
86 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Rochester, NY | Real change, Cape Coral → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $62,840 | $66,281 (+9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $122,770 | $129,493 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $80,890 | $85,320 (+7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $86,570 | $91,311 (+10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.