Moving to Austria from Washington

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Washington to Austria, you would find that Austria is 20.4% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly €53,300 in Austria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Austria cheaper than Washington?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 4.1% less

Groceries

pay 10.6% less

Transportation

pay 6.3% more

Housing

pay 38.2% less

Childcare

pay 58.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8925 EUR (October 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 → €53,300

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 17% less than cities in Washington.

Washington

Redmond 81%
Seattle 81%
Bellevue 80%
Puyallup 76%

Austria

Dornbirn 56%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Austria

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Washington 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 Washington.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of adults with obesity

WA
31.1%
AT
16.5%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

WA
93.1%
AT
91.9%

Washington performs better than Austria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WA
5.3%
AT
5.6%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

WA
$87,768
AT
$62,930

Washington 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

WA
79.2 yrs
AT
82.0 yrs

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

Weather in Austria vs Washington

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Seattle Rain: 37.5 in/yr (952 mm)
60° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Seattle Vienna
Jan–Mar 50°/38°F (10°/3°C) 43°/31°F (6°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 67°/50°F (20°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/55°F (23°/13°C) 75°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/41°F (11°/5°C) 48°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Seattle Vienna
Jan 47°/37°F (8.4°/2.7°C) 37°/28°F (2.9°/-2.0°C)
Feb 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.7°C) 41°/30°F (5.1°/-0.9°C)
Mar 54°/39°F (12.1°/4.1°C) 51°/36°F (10.3°/2.4°C)
Apr 58°/42°F (14.7°/5.7°C) 59°/42°F (15.2°/5.8°C)
May 65°/47°F (18.2°/8.5°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Jun 70°/52°F (21.1°/11.1°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.5°C)
Jul 76°/56°F (24.3°/13.1°C) 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.4°C)
Aug 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.3°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.3°C)
Sep 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.2°C) 69°/53°F (20.3°/11.7°C)
Oct 60°/46°F (15.4°/7.7°C) 58°/45°F (14.2°/7.0°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.5°/4.4°C) 46°/36°F (7.5°/2.4°C)
Dec 46°/36°F (7.6°/2.0°C) 39°/31°F (4.0°/-0.5°C)

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

Can you move from Washington 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 Washington?

On average Austria is about 20% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Austria?

Budget about €13,325 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 Washington and Austria are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Austria compared to Washington?

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

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

The average high temperature in Vienna is 58°F, compared to 60°F in Seattle. Vienna receives around 24.4 in of rainfall per year, while Seattle gets 37.5 in.

What language do they speak in Austria?

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

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At a Glance

AT
Population 8,001,020 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