Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Wels Cost of Living Comparison Between Vienna and Wels

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,342 in Vienna versus $2,053 in Wels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,573 in Vienna versus $3,010 in Wels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,804 in Vienna versus $3,967 in Wels.

Living in Vienna is roughly 14% more expensive than in Wels, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vienna 71% above, Wels 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.18 €18.33

$18.79 €16.26

12.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.7 €80.2

$83.1 €71.9

11.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.01 €12.13

$12.48 €10.81

12.26%

Cappuccino

$5.34 €4.62

$5.05 €4.38

5.74%

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

$4.03 €3.49

$4.42 €3.82

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.93

$3.07 €2.65

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.27 €5.43

$5.77 €4.99

8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 €5.13

$4.66 €4.04

27.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.49

$1.60 €1.38

7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 €2.11

$2.42 €2.10

0.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.32

$1.74 €1.51

54.02%

Eggs

$4.85 €4.20

$4.09 €3.54

18.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 €14.30

$16.08 €13.92

2.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.60 €12.64

$13.81 €11.95

5.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.20 €20.08

$21.42 €18.55

8.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 €2.66

$2.73 €2.36

12.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.08

$1.81 €1.57

32.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 €3.09

$2.74 €2.37

30.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 €3.78

$2.93 €2.54

48.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.77 €1.53

12.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 €1.65

$1.34 €1.16

42.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.93 €1.67

3.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.82 €0.71

14.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.64 €6.62

$7.71 €6.68

-0.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 €7.10

$8.11 €7.02

1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.33

$0.77 €0.67

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.60

$2.02 €1.75

-8.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.44 €2.98

$2.81 €2.43

22.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 €51.9

$39.81 €34.47

50.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 €4.75

$6.81 €5.90

-19.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 €1.94

$2.52 €2.18

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.98 €39.81

$35.18 €30.46

30.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.70

$1.86 €1.61

5.38%

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

$30.6K €26.5K

$30.2K €26.1K

1.49%

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

$29.8K €25.8K

$30.5K €26.4K

-2.49%

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

$316 €274

$402 €348

-21.39%

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

$14.90 €12.90

$14.69 €12.71

1.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.07 €30.36

$37.56 €32.52

-6.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.08 €33.83

$46.73 €40.46

-16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.79 €24.92

$34.70 €30.04

-17.03%

Cinema Ticket

$14.99 €12.98

$13.91 €12.04

7.76%

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

$415 €359

$875 €757

-52.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K €25.4K

$13.1K €11.3K

124.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 €77.0

$160 €139

-44.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.81 €33.59

$52.5 €45.42

-26.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 €79.3

$117 €101

-21.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$210 €182

-33.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 €1,171

$707 €612

91.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 €826

$566 €490

68.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,578 €2,232

$980 €848

163.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 €1,424

$816 €706

101.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K €12.8K

$4,336 €3,753

241.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,223 €5,387

$3,619 €3,133

71.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,542 €3,067

$3,186 €2,758

11.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.49

3.57

-2.24%

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

Last update for Vienna: September 14, 2026

Last update for Wels: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Vienna and $707 in Wels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vienna pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $93.0 in Vienna vs $83.0 in Wels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $345 per month, with Wels cheaper across the board.

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 Wels: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vienna and Wels differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($2,342 vs $2,053 including rent). Wels is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Vienna, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,352 in Vienna versus $707 in Wels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,342 per month in Vienna versus $2,053 in Wels – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Wels runs roughly 51% less than in Vienna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,053 in Wels versus $2,342 in Vienna, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Wels but tight or insufficient in Vienna. The gap between the two cities makes Wels the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Vienna and Wels are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Wels gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Vienna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.