Cape Coral, FL vs Fort Myers, FL

Fort Myers is moderately more affordable than Cape Coral, with a 7.7% lower cost of living index. Cape Coral scores 117 compared to 109 for Fort Myers, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Cape Coral can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Cape Coral is $1,751/month compared to $1,442/month in Fort Myers — a 21% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Fort Myers has cheaper rent, Cape Coral actually has lower median home values ($339,200 vs $351,600).

Median household income in Cape Coral is $76,062 compared to $62,160 in Fort Myers (+22.4%). While Cape Coral is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Cape Coral spend roughly 27.6% of their income on rent, less than the 27.8% in Fort Myers.