Labor market
According to countryvv, citizens from the EU and Switzerland do not need a work permit and enjoy the free movement of workers (employment can be taken up under the same conditions as nationals). There is a great need for workers every year, particularly in the field of seasonal work. There is a need for harvest workers or workers in the winter sports industry or in the catering trade. The AMS (Employment Service Austria) offers help in looking for a job.
Useful addresses on site
Public Employment
Service Vienna Provincial Office Service for Workers
Landstrasser Hauptstrasse 55 – 57
A-1030 Vienna
Tel. +43 87871
Fax. +43 87871 50490
ams.oesterreich@ams.at
Austria Forum
Inffeldgasse 16c
A-8010 Graz
hmaurer@iicm.edu
German Chamber of Commerce in Austria
Schwarzenbergplatz 5 TOP 3/1
A-1030 Vienna
Tel. +43 (0) 1 545 1417
Fax. +43 (0) 1 545 2259
office@dhk.at
Cost of living
Groceries are about as expensive as in Germany, as are rents (of course there is a big difference between the big cities and in the countryside – Vienna in particular is very expensive). Only electrical appliances cost a little more in Austria. But the gasoline is a little cheaper.
You would need around € 3,616.67 in Vienna to maintain the same standard of living that you could have in Berlin with € 3,700.00 (assuming you rent in the cities).
- Consumer prices in Vienna are 0.51% lower than in Berlin (without rent)
- Consumer prices in Vienna are 2.25% lower than in Berlin (including rent)
- Rent prices in Vienna are 6.06% lower than in Berlin
- Restaurant prices in Vienna are 3.37% higher than in Berlin
- Food prices in Vienna are 8.68% higher than in Berlin
- The local purchasing power in Vienna is 11.26% lower than in Berlin
Average cost of living in Vienna (from 07/2020 – 06/2021)
| Restaurant | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Food, price w. restaurant | 10.00 | 7.00-15.00 |
| Middle class, 3 courses for 2 people. | 50.00 | 40.00 – 80.00 |
| Local beer, 0.5 l | 4.00 | 3.00 – 5.00 |
| Imported beer, 0.33 l | 4.00 | 3.00 – 5.00 |
| cappuccino | 3.31 | 2.00 – 5.00 |
| Coca / Pepsi (0.33 l) | 2.65 | 2.00-3.40 |
| Water (0.33 l) | 2.06 | 1.20-3.00 |
| Food | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Milk (1 L) | 1.13 | 0.80 – 1.40 |
| White bread (500g) | 1.66 | 0.74-3.00 |
| Rice (white), (1kg) | 1.99 | 0.80-3.49 |
| Eggs (12) | 3.24 | 1.59-4.43 |
| Local cheese (1kg) | 11.42 | 5.60-30.00 |
| Chicken breast fillet (1kg) | 9.30 | 4.00-14.00 |
| Beef (1kg) or other red meat | 12.76 | 6.00-25.00 |
| Apples (1kg) | 2.06 | 1.00-3.00 |
| Bananas (1kg) | 1.87 | 1.30 – 2.50 |
| Oranges (1kg) | 2.31 | 1.20-3.00 |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 2.36 | 1.49-3.40 |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 1.63 | 0.54-2.00 |
| Onions (1kg) | 1.36 | 0.73-2.00 |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.18 | 0.80 – 1.60 |
| Water (1.5 l) | 0.70 | 0.27-1.00 |
| Bottle of wine (middle class) | 6.00 | 4.00-10.00 |
| Local beer (0.5 l) | 1.01 | 0.70 – 1.28 |
| Imported beer (0.33 l) | 1.72 | 1.00 – 2.50 |
Average costs for local transport, ancillary costs, clothing, leisure time, education in Vienna (from 07/2020 – 06/2021)
| Mode of Transport | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| One-time ticket | 2.40 | 2.40-2.80 |
| Monthly pass | 46.00 | 30.42-51.00 |
| Taxi base amount | 4.00 | 3.80-7.00 |
| Taxi 1 km | 1.42 | 1.05-2.00 |
| Ancillary housing costs | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| for 85 sqm apartment (electricity, water, garbage, etc. | 192.40 | 113.33-350.00 |
| 1 minute prepaid mobile tariff | 0.06 | 0.01-0.09 |
| Internet (60 Mbps or more, unlimited data, cable / ADSL) | 32.32 | 25.00 – 40.00 |
| Clothes, shoes | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Jeans (Levis 501 or similar) | 78.22 | 40.00-120.00 |
| Summer dress (Zara, H&M,… | 32.50 | 20.00 – 50.00 |
| Nike sports shoes, middle class | 82.42 | 50.00-120.00 |
| Leather business shoes | 118.38 | 70.00 – 200.00 |
| leisure time | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Fitness center, month / adult | 26.34 | 20.00 – 60.00 |
| Tennis, 1 hour on weekends | 21.00 | 15.00-30.00 |
| a movie ticket | 11.00 | 9.00-14.00 |
| training | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Preschool / Kindergarten, private, whole day, monthly per child | 256.48 | 160.00 – 400.00 |
| International primary school per year and child | 13,375.00 | 7,000.00 – 20,000.00 |
Average rental prices / purchase and salaries in Vienna (from 07/2020 – 06/2021)
| Monthly rental price | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in the city center | 880.00 | 700.00 – 1,200.00 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) outside the center | 654.69 | 500.00 – 850.00 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in the city center | 1,667.35 | 1,200.00 – 3,500.00 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) outside the center | 1,200.46 | 900.00 – 1,500.00 |
| Purchase price of apartments | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Price per square meter for an apartment in the city – purchase | 7,704.55 | 6,000.00 – 15,000.00 |
| Price per square meter – apartment outside the center – purchase | 4,543.48 | 4,000.00 – 5,500.00 |
| wages | Ø € Price | € Price from / to |
| Average monthly salary (after taxes) | 2,244.84 | – |
However, if you want to immigrate to Vienna or move to Vienna, you can use the help of a special immigrant fund.
life quality
In the ranking for the most liveable city in the world, Vienna is in first place. What about the rest of the country? A low crime rate, beautiful landscapes, attractive leisure, cultural and shopping offers make Austria a popular travel destination or a new dream home all over the world.
Real estate – buy or rent
Foreigners from the EU can easily buy or rent real estate in Austria. However, it is an advantage to seek help from an experienced real estate agency.
Payment transactions
The euro is used to pay in Austria. Austria is a member of the SEPA and Eurogroup, which means that transfers within the EU can be processed free of charge at many banks without exchanging currency. The statutory execution deadlines apply from z. B. one working day for paperless payments. For international transfers to Austria and in the opposite direction or when withdrawing cash with currency exchange, fees and exchange rate losses can sometimes be very high. It is worth making a comparison, as savings of up to 90% are possible on international money transfers.
Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs across the country, including outside banks, around the clock. Commonly accepted credit cards are the domestic and foreign MasterCard, American Express, Visa and Diners credit cards as well as the Cirrus and Visa Plus cash withdrawal cards belonging to these payment systems.
Emigration and Living in Austria
Since people from Germany like to fall back on staff and German is spoken everywhere and the Austrian laws are very similar to the German ones, emigrating to Austria does not mean too much of a change for Germans. The cost of living is not higher, but the wages are often better – Austria is a good choice as a country of emigration! Further advantages: high satisfaction of the immigrants, peaceful, free of nuclear power, lots of forest, high quality of life.
