Moving to Austria from Virginia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Virginia to Austria, you would find that Austria is 18.2% cheaper than Virginia. A $75,000 salary in Virginia would need to be roughly €54,800 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 70°F in Richmond, 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 Virginia?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 0.4% less

Groceries

pay 16.2% less

Transportation

pay 18.3% more

Housing

pay 33.2% less

Childcare

pay 59.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 16.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8929 EUR (November 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.

What salary do you need in Austria?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → €54,800

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 21% less than cities in Virginia.

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Austria

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
1,933

people moved from United States 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 Virginia.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

VA
35.3%
AT
16.5%

Austria performs significantly better than Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2025

share of households with internet

VA
90.1%
AT
91.9%

Austria performs significantly better than Virginia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

VA
3.4%
AT
5.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

VA
$69,111
AT
$62,930

Virginia performs better than Austria across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

VA
77.6 yrs
AT
82.0 yrs

Austria performs significantly better than Virginia across all family life metrics.

Weather in Austria vs Virginia

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Richmond Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1108 mm)
70° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Richmond Vienna
Jan–Mar 53°/32°F (12°/0°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/19°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Richmond Vienna
Jan 47°/28°F (8.6°/-2.1°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 51°/31°F (10.7°/-0.8°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 60°/37°F (15.6°/2.8°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 70°/46°F (21.3°/7.8°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.5°/12.8°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.1°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 90°/69°F (32.1°/20.5°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 81°/60°F (27.3°/15.6°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 71°/48°F (21.7°/9.1°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 61°/39°F (16.3°/4.1°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 51°/31°F (10.4°/-0.3°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, GeoSphere Austria GeoSphere Austria

Can you move from Virginia 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

United States passport holder visiting Austria

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Austria without a visa.
Austria passport

Austria passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Austria passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.

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 Virginia?

On average Austria is about 18% less expensive than Virginia, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

Budget about €13,700 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 Virginia and Austria are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Virginia?

Austria performs significantly better than Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 70°F in Richmond. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Richmond gets 43.6 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

The official language in Austria is German. In Virginia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AT
Population 8,880,107 9,208,163
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +43
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 112