Moving to Austria from Sweden

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Sweden to Austria, you would find that Austria is 51.7% more expensive than Sweden overall. A SEK728,567 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly €75,199 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

SEK728,567 €75,199

To maintain the same standard of living in Austria

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 27.9% more

Groceries

pay 14.4% more

Transportation

pay 10.2% less

Housing

pay 59.1% more

Childcare

pay 3.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SEK = 0.0902 EUR (July 2026)

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 Sweden to Austria.

Moved in 2023
616 ↑ 5% vs 2022

people moved from Sweden 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 Sweden.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

SE
2.1
AT
4.6

Sweden 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

SE
$7,770
AT
$8,250
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
AT
55.1

Sweden 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

SE
8.0
AT
17.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
AT
6.3t

Sweden 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

SE
40.4
AT
29.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
AT
8.7%

Sweden generally does better on infrastructure, though Austria leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SE
7.6%
AT
5.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
AT
$64,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SE
82.7 yrs
AT
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
AT
3.2

Sweden performs better than Austria across all family life metrics.

Data: Skatteverket, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Vienna
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Vienna
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Austria

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

Austria passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Free
Austria passport holders can enter Sweden 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 Sweden?

On average Austria is around 14% pricier than Sweden, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

Budget about €18,800 for 3 months in Austria (based on a SEK728,567 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?

Sweden 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 Sweden.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Sweden?

Sweden 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 71.5 in Sweden. Austria scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

The official language in Austria is German. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE AT
Population 10,483,647 8,913,088
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Euro (€)
Languages Swedish German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +46 +43
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112