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: $2,258 in Vienna versus $1,979 in Wels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,522 in Vienna versus $2,892 in Wels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,786 in Vienna versus $3,806 in Wels.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vienna 69% above, Wels 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.47 €15.03

$17.50 €15.06

-0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 €73.1

$72.9 €62.7

16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 €10.07

$12.20 €10.49

-4.02%

Cappuccino

$4.91 €4.22

$4.59 €3.95

6.97%

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

$3.42 €2.95

$4.28 €3.68

-20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 €2.69

$3.06 €2.63

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 €5.01

$5.34 €4.60

8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 €4.46

$4.82 €4.15

7.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.46 €1.25

19.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 €2.47

$3.06 €2.64

-6.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 €2.37

$2.25 €1.93

22.67%

Eggs

$4.73 €4.07

$3.46 €2.98

36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 €14.82

$25.11 €21.60

-31.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.96 €12.87

$13.99 €12.04

6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.96 €20.61

$21.37 €18.38

12.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 €2.55

$2.94 €2.53

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.84 €1.58

34.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$2.58 €2.22

29.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.07 €3.50

$2.80 €2.40

45.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$2.06 €1.77

5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.67 €1.44

19.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.76

$1.79 €1.54

14.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.80

$0.78 €0.67

20.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.57 €6.51

$7.30 €6.28

3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 €7.44

$9.24 €7.95

-6.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.28

$0.84 €0.72

77.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.66 €1.43

16.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.73 €2.35

$2.74 €2.36

-0.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.81 €34.24

$28.74 €24.72

38.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 €4.06

$6.77 €5.82

-30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 €1.82

$2.14 €1.84

-0.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.61 €33.21

$34.77 €29.91

11.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.55

$1.71 €1.47

5.85%

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

$31.7K €27.3K

$29.3K €25.2K

8.14%

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

$33.4K €28.7K

$35.8K €30.8K

-6.88%

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

$336 €289

$362 €312

-7.26%

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

$16.54 €14.23

$22.62 €19.46

-26.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.43 €35.64

$34.13 €29.36

21.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.55 €41.76

$40.47 €34.81

19.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.32 €22.64

$34.47 €29.65

-23.64%

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.75

$14.04 €12.07

-2.71%

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

$328 €282

$912 €785

-64.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K €20.1K

$7,327 €6,303

218.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.2 €84.4

$132 €114

-25.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 €38.90

$50.4 €43.38

-10.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$121 €104

-15.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €134

$139 €120

12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,060

$685 €589

79.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 €779

$575 €495

57.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 €1,972

$1,156 €995

98.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 €1,430

$815 €701

104.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.3K €13.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,823 €5,869

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,409 €2,932

$3,186 €2,741

6.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

20.00%

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

Last update for Vienna: June 1, 2026

Last update for Wels: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,232 in Vienna and $685 in Wels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vienna pays 7% 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: $85.0 in Vienna vs $73.0 in Wels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $380 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 ($2,258 vs $1,979 including rent). Wels is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vienna pays 7% more on average, 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: $1,232 in Vienna versus $685 in Wels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,258 per month in Vienna versus $1,979 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 39% less than in Vienna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,979 in Wels versus $2,258 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.