Median rent is 7% lower in Cape Coral ($1,751/mo vs $1,879/mo). Buying is cheaper in Cape Coral, where the median home runs $339,200 versus $879,500. Households earn more in Los Angeles ($80,366 vs $76,062 a year).
City A
Cape Coral, FL
City B
Los Angeles, CA
How much would you need to earn in Los Angeles, CA to maintain your standard of living from Cape Coral, FL?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
Cape Coral
Florida
Los Angeles
California
👥Population
💰Median Household Income
Annual
🏠Median Gross Rent
Per month
🏡Median Home Value
📊Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
🔑1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🌬️Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
🏛️Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
🧾State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
🎂Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Cape Coral at $1,751/mo compared to $1,879/mo in Los Angeles (7% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Los Angeles: the median home is $879,500 versus $339,200 in Cape Coral — 61% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
Florida has no state income tax, while California tops out at 13.30% — giving Cape Coral a clear advantage for high earners. Sales tax is 6.00% in Florida and 7.25% in California; Cape Coral has the lower rate (local add-ons may apply in both).
Cape Coral
Income tax: None
Sales tax: 6.00%
Los Angeles
Income tax: 13.30%
Sales tax: 7.25%
Cape Coral has cleaner air on average: 24.0 AQI (Good) compared to 77.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Cape Coral if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 24.0).
Pick Cape Coral if you prioritize no state income tax.
Is Cape Coral cheaper than Los Angeles?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Cape Coral vs Los Angeles?
Median rent is $1,751/mo in Cape Coral, FL and $1,879/mo in Los Angeles, CA. Cape Coral, FL has the lower rent by about 7%.
Which has higher salaries — Cape Coral or Los Angeles?
Median household income is $76,062 in Cape Coral, FL and $80,366 in Los Angeles, CA. Los Angeles, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Cape Coral, FL has better air quality on average: 24.0 AQI versus 77.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Cape Coral or Los Angeles?
Florida has no state income tax. California has a top rate of 13.30%.
What salary do I need in Los Angeles to match my Cape Coral income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2024 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology