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: $2,274 in Vienna versus $1,964 in Wels.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,456 in Vienna versus $2,867 in Wels.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,637 in Vienna versus $3,769 in Wels.

Living in Vienna is roughly 16% more expensive than in Wels, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vienna 70% above, Wels 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.05 €14.93

$17.39 €15.23

-1.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.3 €73.8

$72.4 €63.4

16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.53 €10.10

$12.13 €10.63

-4.95%

Cappuccino

$4.97 €4.35

$4.48 €3.92

10.94%

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

$3.60 €3.15

$4.29 €3.76

-16.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.85

$2.95 €2.58

10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 €5.14

$5.33 €4.67

10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 €4.46

$4.90 €4.29

3.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.47

$1.46 €1.28

15.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 €2.48

$3.03 €2.65

-6.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.70 €2.37

$2.23 €1.95

21.08%

Eggs

$4.52 €3.96

$3.30 €2.89

36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 €15.10

$25.08 €21.97

-31.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 €13.17

$13.83 €12.11

8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.92 €20.95

$21.35 €18.70

12.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.60

$2.91 €2.55

2.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.15

$1.89 €1.65

29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 €3.02

$2.66 €2.33

29.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 €3.72

$2.91 €2.55

46.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 €1.90

$2.08 €1.82

4.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.85

$1.76 €1.54

19.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.73 €1.52

16.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.82 €0.72

12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.45 €6.53

$7.47 €6.54

-0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 €7.29

$9.26 €8.11

-10.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.25

$0.83 €0.72

71.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.75

$1.58 €1.39

26.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.83 €2.48

$2.73 €2.39

3.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.78 €34.84

$29.08 €25.47

36.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 €4.06

$6.81 €5.97

-31.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 €1.80

$2.14 €1.87

-4.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.69 €33.89

$34.39 €30.12

12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.66

$1.72 €1.51

10.47%

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

$32.2K €28.2K

$28.5K €25.0K

12.86%

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

$32.6K €28.6K

$34.6K €30.3K

-5.89%

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

$338 €296

$362 €317

-6.64%

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

$16.75 €14.67

$22.68 €19.86

-26.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.83 €35.76

$33.84 €29.64

20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.64 €41.73

$40.19 €35.20

18.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.60 €22.42

$34.77 €30.45

-26.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 €12.22

$13.67 €11.97

2.12%

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

$327 €286

$891 €780

-63.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K €20.6K

$7,197 €6,303

226.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €88.0

$133 €117

-24.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.58 €39.04

$51.6 €45.19

-13.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €89.5

$121 €106

-15.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 €139

$138 €121

14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 €1,090

$683 €598

82.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 €780

$568 €498

56.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,247 €1,968

$1,148 €1,006

95.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 €1,453

$816 €715

103.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K €12.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,404 €5,608

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,331 €2,917

$3,231 €2,830

3.09%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Wels: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,245 in Vienna and $683 in Wels. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vienna pays 3% 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: $84.0 in Vienna vs $72.0 in Wels for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $379 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 16% in total monthly costs ($2,274 vs $1,964 including rent). Wels is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $1,245 in Vienna versus $683 in Wels. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,274 per month in Vienna versus $1,964 in Wels – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Wels runs roughly 37% less than in Vienna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,964 in Wels versus $2,274 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 16% less than in Vienna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.