Moving to Austria

If moving to Austria is still just an idea rather than a reality, you may want to weigh up the areas best suited to you, your family, your occupation or your plans. Austria has plenty to offer expats. From the cultural sights and sounds of Vienna to the alpine settings of Salzburg, there are options for all lifestyles.

If you are moving to Austria with your family, you are spoilt for choice with great places you could call home. Vienna is home to excellent public and international schools and is known for its safety and cleanliness. Graz is another fantastic choice for families. Its smaller size makes it a more manageable city, and like Vienna, it has a great network of schools and an abundance of green space. Linz is also a great place to base your family with cheaper housing and a solid job market, especially in tech and industry.

Many expats use Austria as a base when working remotely, and it’s easy to see why. Vienna is home to a large international community, allowing for great networking opportunities. In Graz, the startup scene is growing rapidly and could see you transition from nomad to permanent resident in a developing area. With remote work making your office move with you, Innsbruck remains a great choice. The café culture and abundance of scenic spots make work more relaxing than challenging.

If you are moving to Austria, perhaps as a retiree, the best places to start are the larger cities. Vienna is home to the largest expat community in Austria, and English is widely spoken. Salzburg is a popular destination for international tourism and has a strong business presence, whereas Innsbruck has a strong international population, and residents enjoy a high quality of life.

Even though Austria offers expats some incredible places to live that fuse culture, scenery, wellbeing and opportunity, some may not be best suited to expats. Rural alpine areas such as Tyrol, Vorarlberg and Styria may offer stunning views, but language barriers, minimal job opportunities and limited educational services present challenges.

Moving to Austria does require a visa, but various criteria apply depending on how long you plan to stay and your country of origin. Those from the EU/EEA or Switzerland, can enter Austria without a visa and live, work, study, or start a business there. However, if the stay exceeds three months, they’ll need to register their residence with the local authorities. Once there have been more than 5 years of continuous residence, an application for permanent residence can be made.

For non-EU/EEA or Swiss nationals, the criteria are different. They can stay in Austria for up to 90 days without a visa, but if the stay is long-term (more than 6 months), an application for a residence permit must be submitted before arrival.

Once you arrive in Austria, you are legally obliged to register your residence. This must be done within three days of arrival. This is done at the municipal office or registration office in your place of residence. Complete the Meldezettel and bring your passport and proof of accommodation. You will then be granted a Meldebestätigung, which is used when opening bank accounts, buying a house and more.

Holders of an RWR or Blue Card are granted temporary residency in Austria, but permanent residency can be applied for after you have lived in the country for five years. After five years of continuous residence, citizenship can then be applied for. Specific requirements must be met for permanent residency, including proof of financial self-sufficiency, proof of your German language skills and a guarantee that you pose no danger to public peace or national security.

Expats in Austria can find opening a bank account challenging. Many banks limit their services to Austrian nationals or those with residency. However, there are numerous banks open to everyone. Before leaving for Austria, it may be advisable to search online for various banks’ eligibility criteria, so that you can open an account with one that suits your needs and residency status.

To open a bank account in Austria, you will need:

Common banks found in Austria include Dadat, Erste and DKB.

Cash rather than card also remains preferable in Austria. A 2025 survey found that Austria ranks among the bottom 5 countries for cashless payments. Therefore, it is advisable to keep some cash for daily expenses so you don’t get caught out.

Austria has a moderate cost of living compared to many other European countries. It is generally cheaper than neighbouring Switzerland but more expensive than Italy, France, Spain or the UK. That being said, rental prices in the UK are significantly higher than they are in Austria.

There is no set minimum wage in Austria, but based on collective agreements that ensure 95% of employees receive at least €1,700 in gross earnings 14 times a year, the average monthly wage in Austria is €1,983 compared to €2,935 in the UK.

Using the latest Numbeo data, we’ve highlighted common expenses in Austria and compared them in the UK.

Moving to Austria means you’ll need a property to call home. Whether renting or buying, expats should be aware of the potential challenges they may face. Thankfully, there aren’t many, and the Austrian housing market is quite easy for expats to navigate.

One of the first things to know if you plan to rent in Austria is that most rental properties are unfurnished. This means you’ll need to plan the transportation of your belongings from the UK to Austria or purchase everything upon arrival. Fully serviced rental properties are available, but the rents can be very high.

Rental leases normally last for three years, but short-term leases are available; however, these tend not to be your typical rental property.

You can visit an estate agent in Austria either in person or online and organise viewings, which are always free of charge. Upon finding the property you want, you’ll need to supply proof of identity, income and employment as well as your Austrian visa. Deposits are normally three months’ rent, but can be as high as six.

If you are deciding to buy a property in Austria as an expat, how you proceed depends on whether you are an EU or non-EU citizen.

If you are from an EU country, you can buy a property just like you would back home. However, some provinces will prohibit it if the home is not your permanent residence. For non-EU nationals, you may be required to supply a special permit from the Land Transfer Authority before you can buy.

Once you have found a property you would like to buy, make an offer in writing to the estate agent. With this should be the Kostenaufstellung. This is a list documenting all transaction costs such as legal fees, property tax, notary fee and estate agent fees. Once the offer is accepted, an Austrian solicitor draws up the contract and a deposit is paid. Ownership is then registered, with registration costs paid to complete the transaction.

Moving to a new country isn’t just about securing the correct visa, job or property. It’s also about integration. Expats, therefore, need to be aware of potential challenges they may face.

German is the main language in Germany, and whilst larger cities such as Salzburg, Linz, or Vienna may see high numbers of English-speaking people. This is less prominent in rural areas and smaller towns, where regional dialects may be common.

Privacy and punctuality are highly valued in Austria. Being just 5 minutes late can be seen as disrespectful, and asking personal questions early on in a relationship is frowned upon. You may also find that Austrians are direct and honest without being overly expressive. This can make social circles often hard to break into. The sense of humour is often dry or ironic and can sometimes be hard for newcomers to grasp.

Austrian etiquette is subtle but important, and things you see as minor indiscretions can make a huge impact on how you are perceived.

Always greet people when entering small shops or waiting rooms. “Guten Tag” is sufficient. People should always be addressed formally, too. Using “sie”(formal) rather than “du”(informal) can make a big difference.

Quiet hours, known as Ruhezeiten, are typically in the evenings, on Sundays and during public holidays. This is taken very seriously, especially in apartment buildings.

Conversations should also steer towards safe subjects when building relationships. Travel, food, sport and culture are all safe bets, but politics, personal income and WWII history should be approached with caution.

Austria offers an exceptional work-life balance with 25 days of paid holiday and an additional 13 public holidays. A typical working week is 38-40 hours. Generous parental leave policies are also in place, allowing parents to receive up to 80% of their income for up to 14 months. Additionally, labour laws mandate 13^th and 14^th salary payments known as holiday and Christmas bonuses. Many companies also provide a wide range of benefits to support employee wellbeing.

Austria is synonymous with snow-capped mountains and skiing, but not all of the country basks in alpine surroundings. The warm summer weather across the lowlands is known to trigger thunderstorms, whilst the winter season remains cold and wet with frequent showers, low cloud and fog.

For 2026, the public holidays in Austria are: