Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Salzburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Vienna: $2,307 a month against $2,695 in Salzburg, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vienna, Austria
Salzburg, Austria
Vienna
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,307
/mo nomad
Salzburg
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,695
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vienna and in Salzburg

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vienna and in Salzburg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,307 per month in Vienna vs $2,695 in Salzburg, rent included.

  • Vienna $2,307
  • Salzburg $2,695

A couple spends around $3,489 per month in Vienna vs $3,999 in Salzburg, rent included.

  • Vienna $3,489
  • Salzburg $3,999

A family of three spends $4,671 per month in Vienna vs $5,304 in Salzburg, rent included.

  • Vienna $4,671
  • Salzburg $5,304

Vienna is about 14% cheaper than Salzburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Vienna and Salzburg sit above the global median – Vienna by 70%, Salzburg by 98%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.35 €17.34
$17.81 €15.96
8.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.6 €79.4
$77.9 €69.8
13.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.48 €12.08
$13.18 €11.81
2.28%
Cappuccino
$5.32 €4.77
$5.25 €4.71
1.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 €3.34
$4.61 €4.13
-19.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 €2.84
$4.13 €3.70
-23.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.02 €5.39
$5.92 €5.30
1.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.62 €5.04
$5.12 €4.59
9.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 €1.46
$1.76 €1.58
-7.39%
White Bread (500g)
$2.18 €1.95
$3.09 €2.77
-29.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.58 €2.31
$2.59 €2.32
-0.39%
Eggs
$4.57 €4.09
$5.14 €4.61
-11.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.69 €12.27
$21.76 €19.50
-37.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 €12.69
$15.00 €13.44
-5.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.63 €20.28
$24.25 €21.73
-6.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 €2.66
$2.84 €2.55
4.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 €1.98
$2.35 €2.10
-5.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.59 €3.22
$3.87 €3.47
-7.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.22 €3.78
$7.71 €6.91
-45.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 €1.78
$2.16 €1.93
-7.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 €1.67
$2.34 €2.09
-20.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.68
$1.96 €1.76
-4.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.81
$0.99 €0.88
-9.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.43 €6.66
$7.12 €6.38
4.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.43 €7.56
$10.00 €8.96
-15.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.38
$1.42 €1.27
7.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 €1.66
$1.88 €1.68
-1.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.50 €3.13
$2.72 €2.44
28.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.9 €51.0
$81.5 €73.0
-30.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 €4.90
$4.91 €4.40
11.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 €1.93
$2.22 €1.99
-3.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.49 €40.76
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 €1.77
$1.90 €1.70
3.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K €27.0K
$29.3K €26.2K
2.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K €28.8K
$32.8K €29.4K
-2.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$321 €288
$386 €346
-16.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.48 €12.98
$14.02 €12.56
3.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.90 €28.59
$33.88 €30.36
-5.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.15 €33.29
$38.64 €34.63
-3.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.06 €25.14
$29.06 €26.05
-3.44%
Cinema Ticket
$13.84 €12.40
$14.63 €13.11
-5.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$397 €355
$438 €393
-9.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.3K €25.4K
$34.2K €30.6K
-17.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3 €79.1
$114 €102
-22.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.74 €34.72
$59.7 €53.5
-35.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.1 €83.4
$113 €101
-17.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €118
$140 €126
-5.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,359 €1,218
$1,467 €1,314
-7.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$935 €838
$1,136 €1,018
-17.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,552 €2,286
$2,421 €2,169
5.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,628 €1,459
$1,983 €1,777
-17.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$13.8K €12.4K
$8,690 €7,787
58.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,925 €5,310
$5,963 €5,343
-0.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vienna
Salzburg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,478 €3,116
$3,288 €2,946
5.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.41
3.61
-5.54%

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

Last update for Vienna: October 27, 2026

Last update for Salzburg: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vienna
$935
Salzburg
$1.1K 21.5% $201
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vienna
$368
Salzburg
$434 18.1% $67
Groceries & Markets
Vienna
$366
Salzburg
$436 19.2% $70
Eating Out
Vienna
$328
Salzburg
$320 2.5% $8.2
Clothing & Footwear
Vienna
$159
Salzburg
$192 21.3% $34
Getting Around
Vienna
$87
Salzburg
$108 24.4% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Vienna
$65
Salzburg
$68 4.7% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,359 in Vienna versus $1,467 in Salzburg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Vienna, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Vienna versus $78 in Salzburg. Groceries tell a different story – $366 in Vienna vs $436 in Salzburg – so Vienna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇹 Vienna
🇦🇹 Salzburg
🕒 Local time
23:58 11:58 PM
23:58 11:58 PM
Same time as Vienna
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,920,949 Capital
152,083
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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From you
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Vienna vs Salzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Vienna or Salzburg?
Salzburg costs about 17% more than Vienna, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Vienna and in Salzburg?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,461 per month in Vienna and $4,042 in Salzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Vienna compared to Salzburg?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,359 in Vienna and $1,467 in Salzburg. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
How expensive is transport in Vienna compared to Salzburg?
Public transport costs about 30% less in Vienna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Vienna and in Salzburg?
Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Vienna and $438 in Salzburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Vienna or in Salzburg?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,307 in Vienna and $2,695 in Salzburg, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Vienna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Vienna compared to Salzburg?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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