Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Salzburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Salzburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,282 per month in Vienna vs $2,606 in Salzburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,536 per month in Vienna vs $3,934 in Salzburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,789 per month in Vienna vs $5,262 in Salzburg, rent included.

Vienna is about 12% cheaper than Salzburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vienna and Salzburg sit above the global median – Vienna by 70%, Salzburg by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.14 €14.67

$17.03 €14.57

0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 €72.7

$81.6 €69.9

4.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.74 €10.05

$13.37 €11.45

-12.19%

Cappuccino

$4.82 €4.13

$4.87 €4.17

-1.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.92

$4.42 €3.78

-22.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 €2.66

$3.90 €3.34

-20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €4.93

$5.61 €4.80

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 €4.57

$4.84 €4.15

10.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.75 €1.50

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 €2.50

$2.84 €2.43

2.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 €2.38

$2.74 €2.34

1.46%

Eggs

$4.53 €3.88

$5.57 €4.76

-18.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.05 €14.59

$23.11 €19.78

-26.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.67 €12.56

$14.91 €12.76

-1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.87 €20.43

$22.96 €19.66

3.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.58

$2.91 €2.49

3.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.10

$2.45 €2.10

0.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 €2.84

$3.94 €3.37

-15.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 €3.63

$8.72 €7.46

-51.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.28 €1.95

-7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.79

$2.08 €1.78

0.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.75

$1.96 €1.68

4.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.74

$1.03 €0.88

-15.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.36 €6.30

$7.02 €6.01

4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 €7.01

$10.38 €8.89

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.27

$1.53 €1.31

-2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.74

$1.70 €1.45

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.85 €2.44

$2.70 €2.31

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.10 €35.18

$87.3 €74.7

-52.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 €4.03

$5.06 €4.33

-6.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.07 €1.77

-1.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.61 €32.20

$38.32 €32.81

-1.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.70 €1.46

10.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.8K €27.2K

$29.0K €24.8K

9.65%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.7K €28.9K

$27.7K €23.7K

21.67%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$333 €285

$385 €330

-13.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.58 €14.19

$22.73 €19.45

-27.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.04 €35.13

$43.24 €37.01

-5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.38 €41.41

$42.09 €36.03

14.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.73 €22.02

$28.15 €24.10

-8.60%

Cinema Ticket

$13.67 €11.70

$16.24 €13.90

-15.83%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$331 €284

$482 €412

-31.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K €19.9K

$34.2K €29.3K

-31.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €86.6

$118 €101

-14.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.31 €38.79

$62.2 €53.2

-27.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 €84.7

$114 €97.8

-13.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 €133

$141 €121

9.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 €1,078

$1,257 €1,076

0.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 €771

$1,046 €895

-13.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 €1,950

$2,292 €1,962

-0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 €1,415

$1,909 €1,634

-13.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K €11.9K

$8,928 €7,643

55.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,559 €5,614

$6,628 €5,674

-1.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,554 €3,042

$3,450 €2,953

3.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

3.9

-7.69%

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

Last update for Vienna: April 28, 2026

Last update for Salzburg: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,259 in Vienna versus $1,257 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 3% 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 $85.0 in Vienna versus $82.0 in Salzburg. Groceries tell a different story – $393 in Vienna vs $443 in Salzburg – so Vienna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Vienna vs Salzburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salzburg costs about 14% more than Vienna, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,423 per month in Vienna and $3,909 in Salzburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vienna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 112% less in Vienna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $331 per month in Vienna and $482 in Salzburg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Vienna, where all-in costs run around $2,282, than in Salzburg at $2,606. In Vienna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salzburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Vienna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salzburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.