Moving to Austria from Germany

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Germany to Austria, you would find that Austria is 6.6% more expensive than Germany overall. A €65,700 salary in Germany would need to be roughly €71,680 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 Germany to Austria.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €71,680

To maintain the same standard of living in Austria

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 6.7% more

Groceries

pay 24.7% more

Transportation

pay 8.3% less

Housing

pay 7.2% more

Childcare

pay 5.2% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.4% more

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 Germany to Austria, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
19,774 ↓ 9% vs 2022

people moved from Germany 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 Germany to Austria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

DE
0.8
AT
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DE
3.3
AT
4.6

Germany performs better than Austria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

DE
$8,826
AT
$8,250
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

DE
45.2
AT
55.1

Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DE
6.9t
AT
6.3t

Germany 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

DE
45.0
AT
29.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DE
35.4%
AT
8.7%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
3.0%
AT
5.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$61,900
AT
$64,600

Germany generally does better on employment & economy, though Austria leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DE
81.5 yrs
AT
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DE
3.2
AT
3.2

Austria generally does better on family life, though Germany leads in infant mortality.

Data: Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Berlin Vienna
Jan–Mar 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Berlin Vienna
Jan 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

Data: Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst, GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany 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.

Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting Austria

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

Austria passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
Austria passport holders can enter Germany 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 Germany?

No — Austria is on average about 9% more expensive than Germany. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €17,920 in Austria on a €65,700 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?

Germany performs better than Austria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Austria is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Germany.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Germany?

Austria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Germany leads in health coverage index. There are 55.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Austria, compared to 45.2 in Germany. Austria scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Germany: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

Both Germany and Austria share the same official language: German.

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At a Glance

DE AT
Population 84,316,622 8,913,088
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages German German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +49 +43
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112