Salary Comparison
Roustabouts: Columbia vs Topeka
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Columbia, MD
$58,498/yr
Topeka, KS
$42,659/yr
Our recommendation: Topeka, KS
Topeka offers $536 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Columbia
Topeka
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$58,498
$42,659
+$15,839
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,559
$2,595
+$964
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
124
68
+56 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,333
$1,833
+$1,500
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$2,050
$920
+$1,130
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$226
$762
$536
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.07×
1.42×
-0.35×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
3/10 (Tight)
5/10 (Tight)
-2
A vs B
Columbia — Full Details
Topeka — 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.