How much will I earn and what is the cost of living like in Austria?

Introduction

We are frequently asked how about the cost of living in Austria, as well as for a conversion from monthly income to annual or vice-versa.

From gross ("Brutto") to net ("Netto") pay

AK Online Gross-Net calculator: For converting gross pay into net pay: https://bruttonetto.arbeiterkammer.at

Finanzrechner.at also provides an English language calculator which will calculate your net salary from gross, or your gross salary from net: https://finanzrechner.at/en/

Note

• The AK or Arbeiterkammer is the Austrian Chamber of Work. This organisation supports workers in various ways including representing workers in wage negotiations.

• Gross pay is what you earn before taxes, benefits and other payroll deductions are subtracted from your wages. The amount remaining after all deductions is your net pay or take-home pay.

• It is common in Austria to receive 14 monthly salary payments. The additional payments are Christmas and summer holiday bonuses (usually paid out in _november/December and June/July). These are stipulated in the collective agreements of each industry. If your pay is not regulated by a collective agreement then you probably won't get these bonuses. Check your contract! See https://www.arbeiterkammer.at/beratung/arbeitundrecht/Arbeitsvertraege/Weihnachts-Urlaubsgeld.html.

Cost of living in Austria

The cost of living ranges widely from the countryside and smaller towns to the big cities like Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck.

Here are some links to useful web resources which will help to give you a sense of the cost of living in Austria:

• Austrian Business Agency: https://www.workinaustria.com/en/blog/your-guide-to-cost-of-living-in-austria/

• See also the ABA's excellent Immigration Guide Austria: https://immigration-guide.workinaustria.com

• Numbeo.com: This site is very American. If a gallon of milk is a meaningful measure to you it might be useful. Unlike most cost of living comparison sites, you can select the city: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Austria

• You can't select the city on this website so it may be of limited use: https://livingcost.org/cost/austria

• For students: This site is run by the OEAD which is a government agency: https://studyinaustria.at/en/living/living-costs

• https://www.expatica.com/at/moving/about/cost-of-living-in-austria-89352/

• https://www.internations.org/austria-expats/guide/living