Cooks, Restaurant Salary in Cape Coral, FL
Cooks, Restaurant in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area earn a median $37,240 a year — 0% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $32,102 take-home, or $2,675 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in Cape Coral, FL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,289
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,309
- Medicare (1.45%)$540
- Florida income tax$0
- Take-home pay$32,102
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in Cape Coral, FL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,800 | $14.81 | $26,928 | $2,244 |
| 25th percentile | $36,130 | $17.37 | $31,210 | $2,601 |
| Median (50th) | $37,240 | $17.90 | $32,102 | $2,675 |
| 75th percentile | $44,140 | $21.22 | $37,646 | $3,137 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $46,760 | $22.48 | $39,752 | $3,313 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Florida resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $37,240 buys in Cape Coral, FL
Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 2.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.25× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $32,102 take-home pay has the buying power of $31,366 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cape Coral, FL has 1.6× the national concentration of cooks, restaurant jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
Cape Coral, FL ranks #68 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 68 | Cape Coral, FL | $37,240 | $32,102 | $31,366 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in Florida
- Naples, FL — $41,220
- Crestview, FL — $36,600
- Orlando, FL — $37,970
- Jacksonville, FL — $36,770
- Palm Bay, FL — $36,750
- Tampa, FL — $37,010
- Deltona, FL — $36,350
- North Port, FL — $37,440
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in Cape Coral, FL?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metro area is $37,240 a year, or about $17.90 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,130 and $44,140.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL?
On the median $37,240 salary, a single filer living in Florida takes home about $32,102 a year ($2,675 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Cape Coral, FL a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 0% below the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 2.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $31,366 would in a typical U.S. city. Cape Coral, FL ranks #68 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in Cape Coral, FL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Cape Coral, FL is $1,638 a month ($1,961 for two bedrooms) — 61% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Cape Coral, FL
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $44,990
- Waiter and Waitress — $36,660
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,560
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,360