Salary Comparison
Rail Yard Engineers: Aurora vs Abilene
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Aurora, CO
$53,660/yr
Abilene, TX
$43,345/yr
Our recommendation: Abilene, TX
Abilene offers $188 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Aurora
Abilene
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$53,660
$43,345
+$10,315
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,264
$2,637
+$627
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
102
72
+30 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,742
$1,927
+$815
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,610
$980
+$630
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$522
$710
$188
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.19×
1.37×
-0.18×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
4/10 (Tight)
5/10 (Tight)
-1
A vs B
Aurora — 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.