Cost of LivingUpdated 2026-11-11

Cape Coral, Florida

Living in Cape Coral, Florida is close to the national average, with a cost of living index of 98 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,827 a month, 5% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.77 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 47% of the area's $73,099 median household income.

Key Numbers

Gas (Regular)

$3.77

National: $3.98

โ†‘ 187.7%since 2000
โœ“ AAA Gas Prices

Avg Rent (All)

$1,827

National: $1,932

โ†‘ 9.7%since 2021
โœ“ Zillow ZORI Cape Coral, FL metro (2026-09)

Grocery Inflation

1.77%

Year-over-year

โœ“ BLS/FRED CPI

Fast Food Avg

$13.00

Combo meal

โ†‘ 5.2%YoY

Electricity

14.99ยข

per kWh ยท ~$135/mo

โ†“ 18.7%vs US avg
โœ“ EIA Residential

Car Insurance

$265/mo

$3,183/yr

โ†‘ 48.0%vs national avg
โœ“ Bankrate/NAIC

Median Household Income

$73,099

47.2% goes to essentials

โ†“ 47.2%cost burden
โœ“ Census ACS 2023
๐Ÿš—

Car Insurance

Avg $3,183 in Cape Coral. Compare rates:

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Find Apartments

Avg rent $1,827/mo in Cape Coral. Browse listings:

Browse listings โ†’Verified listings

Grocery Prices

Grocery Prices โ€” 2000 to Present

National BLS averages ยท submit local prices below โ†“

Eggs (dozen)

Bird flu volatility

$0.97 in 2000 โ†’ $2.32 BLS avg

+137.9%

Milk (gallon)

$2.79 in 2000 โ†’ $4.10 BLS avg

+47.3%

Ground Beef (lb)

$1.48 in 2000 โ†’ $6.75 BLS avg

+355.5%

Bread (loaf)

$0.91 in 2000 โ†’ $1.86 BLS avg

+105.2%

Chicken Breast (lb)

$1.06 in 2000 โ†’ $2.03 BLS avg

+91.3%

Butter (lb)

$3.98 BLS avg

-4.2% since 2018

Bacon (lb)

$2.75 in 2000 โ†’ $6.69 BLS avg

+143.1%

Cheddar Cheese (lb)

$3.84 in 2000 โ†’ $6.13 BLS avg

+59.6%

Pasta (lb)

$0.88 in 2000 โ†’ $1.38 BLS avg

+57.1%

Rice (5 lb)

$2.50 in 2000 โ†’ $5.50 BLS avg

+120.6%

Coffee (12 oz)

$2.65 in 2000 โ†’ $6.94 BLS avg

+161.3%

Orange Juice (64 oz)

Citrus shortage

$5.42 estimate

+45.7% since 2022

Potatoes (5 lb)

$1.96 in 2000 โ†’ $4.95 BLS avg

+152.6%

Apples (3 lb)

$5.20 estimate

+15.8% since 2022

Tomatoes (lb)

$1.44 in 2000 โ†’ $2.08 BLS avg

+44.4%

Lettuce (head)

$0.75 in 2000 โ†’ $1.96 BLS avg

+162.3%

Cooking Oil (48 oz)

$7.76 estimate

+40.1% since 2022

Yogurt (32 oz)

$4.94 estimate

+19.0% since 2022

Cereal (family size)

$6.20 estimate

+29.4% since 2022

Frozen Pizza

$8.65 estimate

+37.1% since 2022

Dining & Restaurants

Fast Food Meal

$13.00

Casual Dining

$26.00

Monthly Spend

$321

+5.2% YoY

Chain Restaurant Meal Prices โ€” 2022 vs. Today

Combo meal / typical order for one

McDonald's

2022: $7.50

$12.50

+66.7%

Wendy's

2022: $8.00

$13.00

+62.5%

Chipotle

2022: $8.99

$13.50

+50.2%

Starbucks

2022: $4.20

$5.80

+38.1%

Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.

Looking for an Apartment in Cape Coral?

Average 1BR: $1,498/mo ยท 2BR: $2,156/mo

Browse Cape Coral Apartments โ†’

Local Workforce

2024 ยท BLS QCEW

Total Jobs

299k

Median Weekly Pay

$1,184

$62k/yr

Top Sector

Trade, Transportation & Utilities

Household vs Worker Pay

$73k

household median

Employment by Sector โ€” Cape Coral

% of local workforce ยท avg weekly wage ยท 5-year growth trend

Trade, Transportation & Utilities
+9.5% 5yr$965/wk
19.4%

~$50k/yr

Leisure & Hospitality
-2.9% 5yr$648/wk
14.0%

~$34k/yr

Manufacturing
+30.8% 5yr$1,252/wk
13.8%

~$65k/yr

Professional & Business Services
+15.7% 5yr$1,466/wk
13.4%

~$76k/yr

Education & Health Services
+20.4% 5yr$1,271/wk
12.4%

~$66k/yr

Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual ยท County FIPS 12071

Highest Paying Sector

Financial Activities

$1,726/wk ยท $90k/yr

Most Workers (lowest wage)

Leisure & Hospitality

$648/wk ยท $34k/yr

Cape Coral Cost of Living FAQ

Is Cape Coral, FL expensive to live in?

Cape Coral has a cost of living index of 98, where 100 is the US average, so it is close to average. It is the 7th most affordable of the 25 Florida cities we track.

What is the average rent in Cape Coral, FL?

Typical rent in Cape Coral is $1,827 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 5% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,498 and two bedrooms about $2,156. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.

Is rent going up in Cape Coral?

Rent in Cape Coral fell 0.1% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.

How much is gas in Cape Coral?

Regular unleaded costs about $3.77 a gallon in Cape Coral as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Florida. That is 5% below the national average of $3.98.

How much is electricity in Cape Coral?

Homes in Florida pay an average of 15.0 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Cape Coral is about $135.

How much is car insurance in Cape Coral?

Full coverage car insurance averages $3,183 a year in Florida, or about $265 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.

How much do you need to live in Cape Coral?

Median household income in the Cape Coral area is $73,099 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $34,489 a year, or 47% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).

How does Cape Coral compare with the rest of Florida?

Rent in Cape Coral is 5% below the $1,929 average across the 25 Florida cities we track, and its cost of living index of 98 compares with a state average of 102.

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