City comparison
No. Cape Coral's crime index is 46 versus 62 in Virginia Beach, and its violent crime index is 35 versus 29, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Virginia Beach and 2024 FBI data for Cape Coral.
Virginia Beach is cheaper. Median rent is $1,714 a month versus $1,858 in Cape Coral.
Safety is where Virginia Beach and Cape Coral split most clearly. Cape Coral scores 16 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,714 in Virginia Beach and $1,858 in Cape Coral.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Virginia Beach is the easier city on typical rent, but Cape Coral can still be the better daily fit depending on schools, safety, and climate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The crime gap is citywide. Cape Coral has rougher pockets and Virginia Beach has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Virginia Beach and Cape Coral are 792 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach to $1,858 a month in Cape Coral, up $144 a month (8%).
Median household income goes from $92,968 in Virginia Beach to $78,104 in Cape Coral, down $14,864 (16%).
The crime index goes from 62 in Virginia Beach to 46 in Cape Coral, down 16 points (26%).
The move
Cape Coral and Virginia Beach are 792 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,858 a month in Cape Coral to $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach, down $144 a month (8%).
Median household income goes from $78,104 in Cape Coral to $92,968 in Virginia Beach, up $14,864 (19%).
The crime index goes from 46 in Cape Coral to 62 in Virginia Beach, up 16 points (35%).
Virginia Beach, VA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Cape Coral, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Virginia Beach and Cape Coral? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
8% cheaper
Virginia Beach rent is 8% cheaper than Cape Coral
Virginia Beach
Winner$1,714/mo
Cape Coral
$1,858/mo
Typical rent runs $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach versus $1,858 in Cape Coral, so Virginia Beach is 8% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $144, or $1,728 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Virginia Beach? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
19% higher
Virginia Beach's median income is 19% higher than Cape Coral
Virginia Beach
Winner$92,968
Cape Coral
$78,104
Median household income is $92,968 in Virginia Beach versus $78,104 in Cape Coral, so typical pay runs 19% higher in Virginia Beach (about $14,864 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Virginia Beach is the stronger labor market on paper. Cape Coral can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
26% lower crime
Cape Coral's crime index is 26% lower than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach
62 (100 = avg)
Cape Coral
Winner46 (100 = avg)
Cape Coral's crime index is 46 versus 62 in Virginia Beach (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 26% lower in Cape Coral. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Cape Coral is the easier city. Virginia Beach can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
20% more comfortable
Cape Coral weather is 20% more comfortable than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach
59°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 83/100
Cape Coral
Winner72°F avg · 79°F highs · comfort 100/100
Virginia Beach averages about 59°F (63°F highs); Cape Coral averages about 72°F (79°F highs). Virginia Beach averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Cape Coral sits near 72°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Cape Coral scores 20% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Virginia Beach if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Virginia Beach is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 8% cheaper here at about $1,714 a month. Choose Virginia Beach if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Virginia Beach is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 19% higher here ($92,968). Start with Virginia Beach if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Pick Cape Coral if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (72°F) beat Virginia Beach on this page's weather index by 20%. Virginia Beach may pay more or cost less, but Cape Coral is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Cape Coral is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 26% lower than Virginia Beach (46 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Virginia Beach carries the heavier crime signal on this page (75/100 safety vs 84/100 in Cape Coral). That 9-point spread matters more than the $144 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Safety still diverges (84/100 in Cape Coral vs 75/100 in Virginia Beach), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $92,968 in Virginia Beach versus $78,104 in Cape Coral.
Pick Cape Coral when you want the stronger safety signal (84/100). Otherwise, Virginia Beach's case rests on a Virginia Beach ZIP you trust at $1,714 rent.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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