Overall
102.3
+2.3 above avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL
Cost-of-living indicators for Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 15980 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #55 of 387
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL has a cost of living index of 102.3, meaning it's 2.3% more expensive than the national average. Goods cost 3.8% less, services 13.1% less, and rents are 25.1% above average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $97,705 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Cape Coral
Cape Coral ranks #55 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the top quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 102.3, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL is 2.3% more expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Cape Coral's most and least expensive categories — rents at 125.1 versus services at 86.9 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $97,705 inside Cape Coral, while a household needs roughly $102,349 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 125.1 — 25.1% above the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Cape Coral's overall index has risen by 2.4 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.2 and services at 86.9, meaning everyday spending in Cape Coral is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Cape Coral Cost Index at a Glance
Cape Coral all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Cape Coral category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
96.2
-3.8 below avg
Services
86.9
-13.1 below avg
Rents
125.1
+25.1 above avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 102.3 (+2.3 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 96.2 (-3.8 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 86.9 (-13.1 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 125.1 (+25.1 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Rents +25.1% (125.1)
Overall +2.3% (102.3)
Below National Average
Services -13.1% (86.9)
Goods -3.8% (96.2)
Income Adequacy in Cape Coral
Cape Coral income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 102.3
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$102,349
in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$51,175
$75,000 nationally
$76,762
$125,000 nationally
$127,936
$150,000 nationally
$153,524
$200,000 nationally
$204,698
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 2.4 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.9 |
| 2009 | 97.0 |
| 2010 | 97.4 |
| 2011 | 97.7 |
| 2012 | 97.9 |
| 2013 | 97.9 |
| 2014 | 98.6 |
| 2015 | 99.1 |
| 2016 | 101.0 |
| 2017 | 99.4 |
| 2018 | 99.2 |
| 2019 | 97.8 |
| 2020 | 98.1 |
| 2021 | 99.9 |
| 2022 | 101.8 |
| 2023 | 103.1 |
| 2024 | 102.3 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL's index of 102.3.
Other FL Metros
Related Data for Cape Coral
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Cape Coral area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Cape Coral metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Cape Coral
School Districts
NCES school data for Cape Coral area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Cape Coral area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL? ▼
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 102.3, meaning it is 2.3% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.2, services at 86.9, and rents at 125.1. It ranks #55 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $102,349 in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL. Conversely, $100K earned in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL has the purchasing power of $97,705 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL? ▼
Rents in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL are indexed at 125.1, which is 25.1% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.
Is Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL's overall cost index changed by +2.4 points (from 99.9 to 102.3). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL? ▼
The most expensive category in Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL is rents at 125.1, which is 25.1% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 86.9, 13.1% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, Mount Vernon-Anacortes, Bozeman. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL's 102.3.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
