Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Austria Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and Austria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,363 in United Kingdom versus $2,265 in Austria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,471 in United Kingdom versus $3,331 in Austria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,579 in United Kingdom versus $4,396 in Austria.

Living in United Kingdom is roughly 4% more expensive than in Austria on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: United Kingdom 77% above, Austria 70% above.

Internal cost variation is higher in United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,670 to $3,916, compared to $1,801$2,733 in Austria. City choice carries more weight in United Kingdom.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.23 £15.04
$17.03 €14.87
18.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.3 £65.6
$80.7 €70.5
9.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 £7.69
$11.54 €10.08
-10.31%
Cappuccino
$4.77 £3.55
$4.44 €3.88
7.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 £1.82
$3.76 €3.28
-35.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 £1.29
$3.05 €2.67
-43.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.85 £5.09
$5.69 €4.97
20.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.52 £4.84
$5.12 €4.48
27.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 £1.23
$1.66 €1.45
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 £1.27
$2.82 €2.47
-39.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 £1.64
$2.59 €2.27
-14.67%
Eggs
$4.09 £3.04
$4.55 €3.97
-10.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.52 £7.08
$18.35 €16.03
-48.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.02 £6.71
$15.03 €13.13
-39.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.18 £10.54
$23.02 €20.11
-38.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.96 £2.20
$2.94 €2.57
0.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 £1.25
$2.40 €2.09
-30.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 £2.11
$3.15 €2.75
-9.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 £2.53
$4.56 €3.98
-25.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.69 £1.26
$2.21 €1.93
-23.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 £1.17
$2.06 €1.80
-23.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 £0.84
$1.95 €1.70
-42.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 £1.14
$0.85 €0.75
80.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.16 £14.99
$7.59 €6.63
165.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.47 £7.78
$8.50 €7.43
23.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.87 £2.14
$1.42 €1.24
102.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 £2.45
$1.95 €1.70
69.23%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.33 £2.48
$2.81 €2.45
18.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.3 £71.6
$58.1 €50.8
65.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.53 £4.11
$5.93 €5.18
-6.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 £1.19
$1.99 €1.74
-19.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.51 £20.45
$34.77 €30.38
-20.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.90 £1.41
$1.75 €1.53
8.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.1K £28.3K
$30.3K €26.5K
25.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.0K £30.5K
$31.2K €27.2K
31.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$326 £242
$384 €336
-15.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.18 £12.77
$20.49 €17.90
-16.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.96 £31.94
$40.52 €35.40
6.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.94 £34.15
$46.87 €40.95
-1.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.87 £11.80
$25.91 €22.63
-38.75%
Cinema Ticket
$13.80 £10.26
$13.81 €12.06
-0.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,723 £1,281
$384 €335
349.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.9K £15.5K
$15.0K €13.1K
39.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.3 £67.1
$101 €88.3
-10.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.39 £33.00
$44.48 €38.86
-0.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 £76.7
$106 €92.3
-2.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 £76.3
$141 €123
-27.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,419 £1,055
$1,016 €888
39.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,143 £850
$829 €724
37.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,298 £1,708
$1,814 €1,585
26.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,873 £1,392
$1,453 €1,270
28.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,728 £4,258
$7,694 €6,722
-25.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,339 £3,226
$4,823 €4,214
-10.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
Austria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,264 £2,427
$2,989 €2,612
9.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
3.72
54.57%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for United Kingdom: July 13, 2026

Last update for Austria: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,266 in United Kingdom, $915 in Austria. Capital cities: $2,937 in London vs $1,245 in Vienna.

National salary averages: $3,192 in United Kingdom, $2,914 in Austria. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 38% higher in United Kingdom.

Public transport is 59% more expensive in United Kingdom.

Salaries are 10% higher in United Kingdom.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
United Kingdom vs Austria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Austria and United Kingdom?
At $2,267 per month in Austria and $2,793 in United Kingdom, there's a 23% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Austria: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in United Kingdom is consistently higher than in Austria across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Austria or in United Kingdom?
In Austria, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Austria or to United Kingdom?
It depends on what you're after: Austria wins on affordability; United Kingdom may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

United Kingdom vs other spots: cost of living compared

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