Salary Comparison
Installation: Reston vs Abilene
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Reston, VA
$52,098/yr
Abilene, TX
$43,087/yr
Our recommendation: Abilene, TX
Abilene offers $581 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Reston
Abilene
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$52,098
$43,087
+$9,011
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,169
$2,621
+$548
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
118
72
+46 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,056
$1,927
+$1,129
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,758
$980
+$778
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$113
$694
$581
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.04×
1.36×
-0.32×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
3/10 (Tight)
5/10 (Tight)
-2
A vs B
Reston — Full Details
Abilene — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.