Cost of living in Austria: Is Austria expensive?

What's the cost of living in Austria? Learn everything about the price of groceries, rent, transport, healthcare, and leisure across Austria.

Greta

8 minute read

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Updated on 14 Oct 2024

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Living

While generous salaries and a high quality of life make up for the high living costs in Austria of €1,900 monthly, you still need to budget properly to live a comfortable life. In this article, we'll dive into the numbers to help you understand how you can effectively handle your living expenses in Austria and master budgeting and planning.

The average monthly living cost for one person in Austria is roughly €1,900, but it varies depending on location, lifestyle, and type of housing. Couples can anticipate monthly expenses of approximately €3,100, while a family of 4 would typically have total monthly living costs of around €4,903.

For some perspective, the average net salary in Austria hovers around €2,996 per month. Comparing the average salary to the cost of living in Austria, it's clear that it's quite affordable, especially for full-time workers.

To gain a better understanding of the cost of living in Austria, let's compare the total average cost of living in Austria's bigger cities:

Living costs in Austria can change a lot depending on the city you live in. We've looked at some of the best cities in Austria for foreigners and compared the average rental prices for different types of accommodation:

Search homes for rent in Vienna right away to ensure you discover the perfect fit within your budget.

Utility costs in Austria

In Austria, your rental agreement can either include or exclude utility costs. If utilities aren’t included, you should budget around €347/month for them.

Here’s a breakdown of your monthly utility costs in Austria:

You should set aside around €330 per month for groceries in Austria. While buying groceries in Austria is generally slightly expensive, you can still grab budget-friendly groceries at stores like Aldi, Lidl, Penny, or Eurospar.

How much you spend on groceries can change depending on where you live in Austria and where you shop. So, let's dive into food prices in different Austrian cities to paint a clearer picture:

Austria's public transport offers various ticket options. You can buy a single ticket for one trip, a day pass for unlimited travel within 24 hours, or opt for a monthly pass at approximately for regular commuting.

Here’s a breakdown of transportation costs in Austria:

For international students, you can opt for public health insurance through ÖGK, and as of 2024, it costs around €69.13 per month. This provides you with basic coverage and is relatively affordable.

If you’re employed, you’ll automatically be enrolled in Austria’s public health insurance, and the contributions will be deducted from your monthly salary. These contributions are income-dependent, with a maximum cap of €5,220 per month. Essentially, the more you earn, the more you contribute.

For monthly budgeting for leisure activities in Austria, you can expect a total estimate range of approximately €180 to €320. This estimate covers dining out, cultural activities, entertainment, and sports or leisure club memberships.

The prices for leisure activities across Austrian cities are similar and typically fall within these ranges:

When managing your cost of living in Austria, remember these 6 money-saving tips:

1. Consider living in a more affordable and smaller city or living in the suburbs and commuting to work.

2. Rent a private room in shared housing or an apartment with friends to split the costs of rent and utilities.

3. Save on electricty by turning off lights and appliances when you aren't using them.

4. Walk or cycle to save on public transport.

5. Plan meals, create shopping lists, and resist ordering food to lower food costs.

6. Consider used items, especially when buying furniture, which are available at thrift stores, online marketplaces, or Facebook groups for better prices.

7. Shop at markets, corner stores and follow discounts in supermarkets to save on groceries.

Austria is a relatively affordable place to live, cheaper than other Western European countries. With living costs of €1,900 monthly, Austria has lower living expenses than Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. Austria's exceptional quality of life, excellent healthcare, world-ranked education, safety, and cultural opportunities, only add to the appeal of the country.