Naturalised foreign-born residents in Austria enumerated in the…
Wiener Schnitzel
Liberated prisoners in the Mauthausen concentration camp near L…
Ortsschild von Oberwart (ungarisch Felsőőr)
This posthumous portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was painted…
Innsbruck Airport, Austria
UN MemberPop. 8.9M
NestFainder ScoreAI
88/ 100

Excellent destination

Quality of life index out of 100

CCost
A−Safety
AClimate
AHDI
Austria flag

Austria

Danube, Inn, Lake Constance, Morava, Neusiedl Lake, Rhine, Salzach, Thaya · German

Austria

Austria is a predominantly mountainous country located in Central Europe, positioned between Germany, Italy, and Hungary with a total area of 83,871 square kilometers.[5] The nation's landscape is …

See how Austria matches your profile
CLIMATE
Danube, Inn, Lake Consta…
23°C avg · 2400h sun/yr
CURRENCY
EUR €
LANGUAGE
German
SAFETY
Very safe
#1 globally · Safety index 71/100
COST OF LIVING
High cost
Cost index 70/100
TIME ZONE
GMT+1 / GMT+2
UTC+1 / +2 · 2h ahead

What it's like to live in Austria· AI overview

Austria is a predominantly mountainous country located in Central Europe, positioned between Germany, Italy, and Hungary with a total area of 83,871 square kilometers. The nation's landscape is defined by the Alps, which cover approximately 62 percen...

Cost of living
vs EU Average50% higher than EU average
1-bed apartment, city
€950Apartment (1 bedroom) in City…
Dinner for two
€17.50Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant
Monthly groceries
€1.57Milk (regular), (1 liter)
Public transit (month)
€2.70One-way Ticket (Local Transpo…
Read the full cost-of-living guide
★ Professional

Your Austria Roadmap

40+ page personal relocation analysis — visa path, tax strategy, neighbourhood guide, healthcare setup and more.

€29one-time report
  • Visa & residency path
  • Tax optimisation
  • Neighbourhood guide
  • Healthcare & schools
  • Cost breakdown

With a safety index of 71/100, Austria offers good safety conditions for expats and their families.

Entry Requirements & Visa Options

For non-EU visitors planning to enter Austria, the entry requirements depend primarily on nationality and the intended length and purpose of stay. Citizens of many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Israel, do not require a visa for short stays up to 90 days within any 180-day period for tourism, business, or family visits. Visitors must hold a passport valid for at least three months beyond their planned departure date from the Schengen area, though...

Tourism
Work & Business
Long-term Stay
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Austria shows a purchasing power index of 128/100, indicating excellent economic conditions for expats.

Economic OverviewAustria

GDP

$511.69B

HDI

0.9

Quality of Life

88/100

+45 vs NYC

Purchasing Power

53/100

+11 vs NYC

Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Austria. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.

Tax information is currently being researched.

Education SystemInternational schools, universities & curricula
Explore Guide

Climate

Austria's climate is predominantly temperate with significant regional variations due to its Alpine topography and position in Central Europe. Classified mainly as oceanic (Cfb) in lower areas and cold humid continental (Dfb) in mountains, it features mild to warm summers and cold winters, with higher precipitation in the west.

Climate

Oceanic, Continental, Alpine

Summer

18–28°C

Winter

-5–5°C

Sunshine

2400+ hrs/yr

3 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details

Read full guide

Demographics in Austria

Population
8.9M
Life Expectancy: 81.0
Religions
Christianity (Catholic) 55%Non-religious 22%Islam 8%Christianity (Orthodox) 5%Christianity 4%

Ethnic Composition

Austrians
72.8%
other
27.2%

Long-term Expat Guide in Austria

Visa & ResidencyLong-term pathways explained
Tax ObligationsResidency & income tax basics
Healthcare AccessPublic & private options
Read full guide

Work & Business

  • Employment rate: 76.3%
  • Salary range: €25,000–€65,000/year
  • Startup ecosystem: 6.8/10
  • Business registration: 2-3 weeks, €35,000 min capital
  • Top industries: Advanced Manufacturing, Technology & IT, Tourism, Engineering, Healthcare
  • Legal framework supports remote and hybrid work models. No specific digital nomad visa, but flexi…
Work & business guide →

Healthcare in Austria

Public HealthcareAvailable to residents
Private InsuranceWide range of providers
Quality RatingSee guide for details
Read full guide

Retirement & benefits

★ Premium
Retirement index
Natixis
Min. income requirement
€●,●●●
🔒 Locked
Gov healthcare
From residency

Austria does not offer a dedicated retirement or passive income visa program. Austria operates a robust pay-as-you-go (PAYG) statutory pension system with employer (12.

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Transportation

€47.60/month
Monthly transit pass
B+
Airport · Vienna & Salzburg
92 Mbps
Avg internet speed
€2.65
Single bus/metro trip

Austria boasts a sophisticated transportation infrastructure, leveraging its central European location with world-class public transit, advanced road networks, and efficient mobility solutions. The country combines alpine terrain challenges with innovative transportation technologies, offering seamless connectivity across urban and rural regions.

Transportation guide

Legal & Administrative

1
Civil law
Advanced civil law system with strong judicial independence, comprehensive legal framework, and excellent integration with European legal standards.
2
Consumer Protection
Robust consumer protection laws aligned with EU directives, offering strong rights for consumers with effective enforcement mechanisms.
3
EU/EEA Citizen
Valid passport, proof of employment or sufficient funds
4
Red-White-Red Card (Skilled Workers)
University degree, job offer, minimum salary threshold
Residency requirements guide

Social Integration

B
Cultural integration
B+
Expat community
B+
Professional networking
B
Social activities

Austria offers a complex social integration landscape for expats, characterized by a structured society with high expectations for language and cultural adaptation. While welcoming, integration requires significant personal effort and cultural understanding.

Social integration guide

Environment & Sustainability

48%
Forest coverage
A
Sustainability
Moderate
Natural disaster risk
42
Air quality (AQI)

Austria demonstrates strong environmental commitment through comprehensive sustainability policies, advanced renewable energy infrastructure, and proactive climate protection strategies.

Environment guide

Environment & Sustainability in Austria

Air QualitySee detailed assessment
Green SpacesParks & nature areas
SustainabilityEnvironmental policies
Read full guide
Political Landscape & Stability

Austria maintains a stable parliamentary democracy with strong economic performance and a commitment to social welfare. The current government focuses on digital transformation, environmental sustainability, and maintaining the country's high quality of life.

System
Federal Parliamentary Republic
Stability
Stable
Democracy
Full Democracy
Legal System
Civil law system based on Roman law
Read full guide

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Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.

All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.