City Comparison

Cape Coral vs Fayetteville

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026

Cape Coral

Florida
104
Average
$365,000
Median Home
$1,700/mo
Median Rent
$78,100
Median Income

Fayetteville

North Carolina
81
Very Affordable
$213,000
Median Home
$1,075/mo
Median Rent
$49,800
Median Income

The Verdict

28.4%

Living in Fayetteville costs 28.4% less than Cape Coral. To match the purchasing power of a $75,000 salary in Cape Coral, you would need $58,413 in Fayetteville.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable

Housing
118
Cape Coral
52
Fayetteville
Groceries
104
Cape Coral
94
Fayetteville
Utilities
103
Cape Coral
98
Fayetteville
Transportation
107
Cape Coral
77
Fayetteville
Healthcare
111
Cape Coral
106
Fayetteville

Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Cape Coral has the same purchasing power as $58,413 in Fayetteville.

Conversely, $75,000 in Fayetteville equals $96,296 in Cape Coral.

Living in Cape Coral vs Fayetteville

Housing Costs

Cape Coral's housing index of 118 is higher Fayetteville's 52, translating to median home prices of $365,000 vs $213,000. The $152,000 difference in home prices means roughly $9,876 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,700/mo in Cape Coral compared to $1,075/mo in Fayetteville, a monthly difference of $625.

Grocery & Food Costs

Grocery expenses index at 104 in Cape Coral and 94 in Fayetteville. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Cape Coral vs $447/month in Fayetteville. Fayetteville offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $564/year.

Utility Expenses

Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 103 in Cape Coral and 98 in Fayetteville. Monthly utility bills average approximately $412 in Cape Coral vs $392 in Fayetteville. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.

Healthcare

Healthcare costs index at 111 in Cape Coral and 106 in Fayetteville. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.

Income & Purchasing Power

Median household income is $78,100 in Cape Coral and $49,800 in Fayetteville. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $75,096 and $61,481 respectively. Cape Coral residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite higher nominal wages.

Relocation Considerations

Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,822/month to housing in Cape Coral vs $1,162/month in Fayetteville. In Cape Coral, median rent of $1,700/mo fits within this budget. In Fayetteville, median rent of $1,075/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 66 index points — focus your budget analysis there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fayetteville is 28.4% more affordable overall with an index of 81 vs 104.
A $75,000 salary in Cape Coral has equivalent purchasing power to approximately $58,413 in Fayetteville, based on the cost of living difference.
Cape Coral's housing index is 118 with median homes at $365,000, while Fayetteville's is 52 with median homes at $213,000.

Moving & Relocation Resources

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