Moving to Austria from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to Austria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to Austria, you would find that Austria is 29.5% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly €47,200 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vienna averages 58°F vs 75°F in Los Angeles, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Austria cheaper than California?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.7% less
Groceries
pay 19.6% less
Transportation
pay 1.8% more
Housing
pay 50.9% less
Childcare
pay 57.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.6% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Austria?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €47,200
To maintain the same standard of living in Austria
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Austria cost about 35% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from California to Austria.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Austria compared to California.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Austria performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Austria across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs better than Austria across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Austria performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Austria vs California
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Los Angeles | Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/49°F (21°/10°C) | 43°/31°F (6°/0°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) | 67°/50°F (20°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 48°/37°F (9°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Los Angeles | Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/48°F (20.1°/8.8°C) | 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C) |
| Feb | 69°/49°F (20.3°/9.6°C) | 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C) |
| Mar | 70°/51°F (21.2°/10.6°C) | 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C) |
| Apr | 73°/53°F (22.6°/11.9°C) | 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C) |
| May | 74°/57°F (23.6°/13.9°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C) |
| Jul | 83°/64°F (28.4°/17.6°C) | 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (29.1°/17.8°C) | 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C) |
| Sep | 83°/63°F (28.4°/17.3°C) | 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 78°/59°F (25.8°/14.8°C) | 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 73°/52°F (22.7°/11.1°C) | 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) | 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C) |
National Weather Service
GeoSphere AustriaCan you move from California to Austria?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Austria
Visa Free
Austria passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 California?
On average Austria is about 30% less expensive than California, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Austria?
Budget about €11,800 for 3 months in Austria (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Austria?
From major Austria cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Austria are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Austria compared to California?
Austria performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Austria compared to California?
The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 75°F in Los Angeles. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Los Angeles gets 14.9 in.
What language do they speak in Austria?
The official language in Austria is German. In California, the official language is English.
