Salary Comparison
Roustabouts: Columbia vs Albany
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Columbia, MD
$58,498/yr
Albany, NY
$53,430/yr
Our recommendation: Albany, NY
Albany offers $381 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Columbia
Albany
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$58,498
$53,430
+$5,068
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,559
$3,250
+$309
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
124
102
+22 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,333
$2,643
+$690
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$2,050
$1,520
+$530
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$226
$607
$381
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.07×
1.23×
-0.16×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
3/10 (Tight)
4/10 (Tight)
-1
A vs B
Columbia — Full Details
Albany — 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.