Moving to Austria from Portugal

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Portugal to Austria? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Portugal to Austria, you would find that Austria is 47.7% more expensive than Portugal overall. A €65,577 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly €81,410 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 69°F in Lisbon, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Portugal and Austria.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 €81,410

To maintain the same standard of living in Austria

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 67.0% more

Groceries

pay 61.0% more

Transportation

pay 30.1% more

Housing

pay 55.5% more

Childcare

pay 30.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 64.4% 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?

What the data shows about people moving from Portugal to Austria.

Moved in 2023
778 ↓ 2% vs 2022

people moved from Portugal 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

The numbers behind daily life in Austria compared to Portugal.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

PT
7.2
AT
4.6

Portugal generally does better on safety, though Austria leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PT
$4,928
AT
$8,250
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PT
57.7
AT
55.1

Portugal 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

PT
10.0
AT
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PT
3.3t
AT
6.3t

Portugal performs better than Austria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

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

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PT
12.3%
AT
8.7%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PT
6.5%
AT
5.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PT
$41,700
AT
$64,600

Austria performs significantly better than Portugal across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PT
2.5
AT
3.2

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

Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lisbon Vienna
Jan–Mar 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Lisbon Vienna
Jan 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

Data: Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.

Portugal passport

Portugal passport holder visiting Austria

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

Austria passport holder visiting Portugal

Visa Free
Austria passport holders can enter Portugal 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 Portugal?

On average Austria is around 24% pricier than Portugal, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

Budget about €20,352 for 3 months in Austria (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Austria?

Connectivity is usually fine (Austria: 29.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Austria offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Austria safe for expats?

Portugal generally does better on safety, though Austria leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Austria is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Portugal.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Portugal?

Portugal 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 57.7 in Portugal. Austria scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

The official language in Austria is German. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

PT AT
Population 10,242,081 8,913,088
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Portuguese German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +351 +43
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 112