Moving to Austria from Belgium

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Belgium to Austria — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Belgium to Austria, you would find that Austria is 2.9% more expensive than Belgium overall. A €65,577 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly €68,417 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Belgium to Austria.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 €68,417

To maintain the same standard of living in Austria

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 0.3% more

Groceries

pay 23.9% more

Transportation

pay 3.0% less

Housing

pay 14.7% more

Childcare

pay 10.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Belgium to Austria, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
398 ↓ 7% vs 2022

people moved from Belgium to Austria · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Austria?

Top countries of origin for Austria's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Belgium to Austria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
AT
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BE
4.6
AT
4.6

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Austria leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
AT
$8,250
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
63.9
AT
55.1

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Austria leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
AT
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
AT
6.3t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Austria leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
43.5
AT
29.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
51.9%
AT
8.7%

Austria generally does better on infrastructure, though Belgium leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.5%
AT
5.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$63,600
AT
$64,600

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Austria leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BE
81.9 yrs
AT
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.2
AT
3.2

Belgium generally does better on family life, though Austria leads in life expectancy.

Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Vienna Rain: 24.4 in/yr (620 mm)
58° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Vienna
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Vienna
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Austria. To live, work, or study long-term in Austria, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Austria's immigration authority.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Austria

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Austria without a visa.
Austria passport

Austria passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Austria passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Austria than Belgium?

No — Austria is on average about 4% more expensive than Belgium. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,104 in Austria on a €65,577 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Austria?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Austria has 29.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Austria safe for expats?

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Austria leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Austria is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Belgium?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Austria leads in adult obesity rate. There are 55.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Austria, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. Austria scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

What's the weather like in Austria compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

The official language in Austria is German. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

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At a Glance

BE AT
Population 11,847,338 8,913,088
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Dutch, French, German German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +43
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112