Salary Comparison
Web Developers: Columbia vs Birmingham
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Columbia, MD
$103,119/yr
Birmingham, AL
$76,316/yr
Our recommendation: Birmingham, AL
Birmingham offers higher purchasing power (9 vs 7/10), giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Columbia
Birmingham
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$103,119
$76,316
+$26,803
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$6,273
$4,643
+$1,630
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
124
70
+54 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,333
$1,814
+$1,519
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$2,050
$1,043
+$1,007
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$2,940
$2,829
+$111
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.88×
2.56×
-0.68×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
7/10 (Moderate)
9/10 (Comfortable)
-2
A vs B
Columbia — Full Details
Birmingham — 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.