Our Guide on Renting or Buying a Home in Austria

Jump right in:

• Renting a house or an apartment
• Where to live in Austria? Cities & areas explained
• How to find housing
• What are average rents?
• Rental process and rules
• Short-term rentals in Austria
• Buying property as a foreigner
• Austrian real estate prices
• What you need to know about utilities
• Your internet & phone in Austria

Austria is a country with progressive housing schemes but also rapidly rising prices in some areas.

The government has spent a lot of money to ensure that everyone can benefit from decent, affordable housing — and the results speak for themselves.

Vienna, for example, has one of the most impressive social housing systems in the world, and it houses over 60% of the city’s residents. The available options are often very attractive, many even offering shared swimming pools, saunas, childcare facilities, and eye-catching architecture.

In addition, rent regulations in Austria mean that households only spend an average of 21% of their income on housing, compared to 37% in the US, and even as high as 60% in cities like New York. More on this below.

Vienna

• Innere Stadt: This is the 1st district (Bezirk) of Vienna and full of tourist attractions. The district is very walkable, and public transport connections are readily available, too. However, it’s generally not the place to live due to very high housing prices.

• Leopoldstadt: The 2nd district of Vienna offers plenty of places to eat, drink, and spend your time in, including the famous Prater park. It’s a rather multicultural area, with good transport links to both the center as well as nearby district 22 with its international companies and UN offices.

• Landstraße: If you’re looking for a quieter life with similar great transport links, the 3rd district might be a good choice for you.

• Neubau: The 7th district is perfect for creatives and freelancers. Vienna’s "hipster" area, you’ll find an international vibe and many art galleries and indie shops.

• Döbling: Expat families are often drawn to the 19th district. It offers a more suburban feeling with lots of nature and international schools nearby. However, it’s also one of the more expensive areas.

• Hietzing: The same is true for the 13th district. It is popular with families, but also on the pricier end.

Graz

• Innere Stadt: As the city’s center, it offers many tourist attractions and amusements. Transport is great, but rent prices typically also high.

• Lend and Gries: This artistic neighborhood offers great bars and shops, with a farmers market and weekly events. Prices are typically fair, considering that the location is near the city center and the main train station.

• St. Leohard: If you’re coming to study in Graz, then this is the neighborhood for you. Close to the Technical University and the University of Graz, it has a mix of student and elderly populations.

Salzburg

• Elisabeth-Vorstadt: This is one of the more affordable options in Salzburg. It is also where the main train station is located.

• Nonntal: Central but quiet, this location offers a mix of young and urban environment.

• Old town: While it is the city’s main attraction, people tend to avoid living here and even call it an “amusement park”. If you’re are moving to Salzburg for a longer time, it’s better to pick somewhere less crowded and pricey.

Note: Salzburg, in general, is not a large city and rather bike-friendly. So even if you’re living outside of the center, getting around shouldn’t be a problem at all.

Innsbruck

• Innenstadt: With a constant flow of people, it can get quite noisy. Safety in the area is high, and it’s the perfect choice if you want everything within walking distance. Housing is expensive, though.

• Höttinger Au: This is a calm area close to the center with lots of parks, making it popular with families and professionals alike.

• Wilten: The area offers restaurants, local bakeries, and easy access to the university. Safety is good, although the student nightlife can mean some streets get noisy in the evening. It’s a great area for those who want affordability and quick access to the city and nearby nature spots.

Most of the time, your housing search will start online.

Top rental sites for accommodation in Austria include:

• immobilienscout24.at
• immowelt.at
• immodirekt.at
• ohne-makler
• wg-gesucht.de (for flatshares)

You can also check out listings in Austrian newspapers, such as Der Standard and Kurier.

Furnished flats

In Austria, apartments to rent are typically unfurnished. If you’re looking for something furnished, it will most likely only be available for shorter terms and will could cost considerably more.

See our section on Short-term rentals in Austria for more information.

The average rent for a 3-bedroom apartment in an Austrian city center is around 875 EUR per month (approx. 1,000 USD), while for a 3-bedroom apartment, you can expect to pay 1,600 EUR or higher (~1,850 USD).

Your actual monthly rent very much depends on your exact location, though:

Regulated Austria rent prices

Austrian rent prices are governed by several things, but they are mostly regulated by the authorities.

For example, for property in above-average areas, landlords can add a location surcharge of 0.33% per square meter to the final advertised rent price. This surcharge is based on the “reference rent” in comparable areas. High-density areas can only be compared with other high-density areas, medium-density areas with other medium-density areas, and so on.

However, certain criteria have to be met for a surcharge to be allowed, including:

• access to public transport
• infrastructure
• proximity to cultural institutions such as theaters and museums
• noise emissions

Subsidized housing

Foreigners may also be to apply for subsidized housing in Austria.

The exact guidelines regarding eligibility can vary from city to city, but typically include:

• Austrian/EU/EEA citizenship or long-term residence status
• minimum number of years already living in Austria or even the respective city (e.g., 2 years in Vienna)
• maximum annual net income (e.g., 61,280 EUR (~71,300 USD) or less for a one-person household in Vienna)

Types of contract

There are two types of rental contract in Austria: primary leasehold (Hauptmiete) and sublet (Untermiete).

Fixed-term rental contracts in Austria (Befristet) usually have a minimum term of three years. Open-ended contracts are called Unbefristet.

Contract details: Giving notice

You can typically not terminate a fixed-term contract in the first 12 months. After this year, a 3-month notice applies, same as with open-ended contracts.

If you already know that there is a chance you’ll have to move out due to work before the typical minimum three years of your fixed-term are up, you can ask to have a Diplomatic or Repatriate Clause inserted in the contract. This allows you to leave the property earlier by giving two months’ notice to your landlord.

Landlords can only terminate your lease contract if you fail to pay the rent, if you use the property inappropriately (e.g., residential flat as business; intentional damage; severe and repeated disturbance of neighbors), or if the landlord or close family want to move in instead (Eigenbedarf).

Security deposit

The security deposit is usually equivalent to three months’ rent. However, it can be up to the equivalent of six months’ rent.

Living conditions

By law, an apartment must have central heating, hot water, a kitchen sink, a stove top, a shower, and a toilet.

Utility bills payment

You can pay electricity and gas bills by direct debit each month. The bills are calculated based on estimates of consumption in the previous year. You can choose whether to pay monthly or in installments. Remember to have the meter read before you start living in the property.

Requirements and documents for renting

Renting in Austria as a foreigner is quite straightforward. Generally, you should be able to rent an apartment simply by signing the lease and providing:

• proof of identity
• proof of employment
• Austrian visa or EU/EEA citizenship
• references from previous landlords (translated into German if necessary)

Rental leases are usually three years long in Austria (or unlimited). So if you’re considering finding somewhere to live with a short or flexible contract, you’ll have to go with temporary rentals, which are then typically also furnished.

The monthly rent for these can be high. According to Airbnb listings in Vienna, you can expect to pay from 700 EUR (for a room) to 2,000 EUR (for an apartment) for a one-month stay.

What documents do I need (and other things to know)?

Most temporary rentals only require you to show some form of identification (e.g., your passport).

Depending on the length of your stay, landlords may also ask for proof of employment, your Austrian visa, and even references from previous landlords.

To find short-term furnished apartments you can check out sites such as:

• Airbnb
• Wunderflats
• TempoFLAT
• Vrbo
• room4rent
• KURZZEiTmiete

How hard or easy it is to buy real estate in Austria partly depends on where you’re from.

As with most official processes in Europe, nationals from EU/EEA countries face fewer restrictions. Though it’s still possible to purchase an Austrian home even if you’re not a EU/EEA national.

Top sites to look for properties in Austria:

• laendleanzeiger.at
• immobilienscout24.at
• immowelt.at
• immodirekt.at
• austriareal.eu

How to buy a property as a foreigner

For people coming from the European Union (or an EEA country), requirements to buy property in Austria are very straightforward. There are virtually no restrictions, although some Austrian provinces prohibit purchasing real estate in certain areas if someone is not using the property as their permanent residence.

Third-country nationals are also allowed to buy real estate in Austria. However, you may be asked to apply for a special permit from the Land Transfer Authorities before you can buy. Different provinces in Austria have different land transfer laws and requirements for claiming a special permit for purchase.

Note: You cannot buy a house in Austria to get citizenship, nor does it help you to fast-track permanent residence or visa processes.

Process and steps for buying a house in Austria

Once you find the ideal property for you, the process is as follows:

1) Make a formal offer with Kostenaufstellung

Your first step towards purchasing it is to make a formal offer in writing via a real estate agent.

Attached to the offer should be the Kostenaufstellung, which is a list documenting the relevant transaction costs, such as

• legal fees
• any property transfer tax (at 3.5%)
• registration duty (1.1% of the sale price)
• the notary fee (120 EUR/132 USD per signature, plus 20% VAT)
• real estate agent fees (3 to 4% plus 20% VAT)

The buyer and seller each pay half of the real estate agent fee.

2) Sale contract

Once the seller has agreed to your offer, a purchase agreement or sale contract should be drawn up by an Austrian solicitor.

3) Deposit

Once the contract is signed by all parties, the buyer might have to pay 10% of the purchase price as a deposit. This amount is put in a safe account until the property sale goes through.

4) Register ownership

When the sale is final, your lawyer should register the transfer of ownership with the local registry office. Transfer and registration duties will also need to be paid.

Property registration costs approximately 4.5% of the property’s value. It takes between nine and 32 days for the property to be registered.

Vienna

In Vienna, house prices very much vary throughout the city’s 23 districts. The lowest average property price can be found in the 10th district – Favoriten – where a property of 50 square meters is approximately 250,000–270,000 EUR (~290,000–314,000 USD).

Prices in a premium location, for example in Innere Stadt (Vienna’s 1st district), start at around 9,000 EUR per square meter (~10,500 USD), up to 30,000 EUR per square meter for luxury properties

Average prices across Austria (per square meter):

There is a range of options for utility companies in Austria but try not to choose your provider at the last minute. Give yourself at least two weeks between enlisting a utility company to set up your gas and electricity services and moving into your new home.

You might need to have an Austrian bank account to pay, so make sure to factor in this potential obstacle in your planning. An Austrian phone number might also be required.

Once you’re ready to move in, make sure to get meter readings, so you only pay for what you actually use.

Electricity

To open a new electricity account, contact a supplier and provide them with your personal and property details and a meter reading.

Gas

Like with electricity, there is a range of local providers to choose from and some even offer both gas and electric services. Simply choose a supplier and contact them with your personal details. If possible, you should also have a meter reading at hand.

Required details

To register with a supplier in Austria, you typically need to give the following information:

• email
• bank account details
• ID of your meter and meter reading if you have it
• your Zählpunktummer (reporting point number), a 33-digit number assigned to a specific property)

Utility providers in Austria

There are a few nationwide providers such as Verbund, EVN (Eastern Austria), or aWATTar.

However, different regions typically have their own local utility supplier:

• Vienna: Wien Energie
• Grau: Energie Steiermark or Energie Graz
• Salzburg: Salzburg AG
• Innsbruck: TIWAG or IKB

For water, each province has its own supplier(s). For example, Vienna is supplied by Wiener Wasser. You’ll need to look into the correct water provider depending on the province to which you are moving.

The process of getting internet and a landline set up can take several weeks, so make sure to get started early. It often also requires you to have an Austrian bank account with an IBAN (international bank account number), which takes a bit of time to set up as well.

Top internet providers in Austria:

• A1
• Magenta
• Drei

Meanwhile, getting an Austrian mobile phone number is straightforward and can be done online, in supermarkets, electronic stores, or at official provider shops.

Regardless of whether you’re going with a contract or prepaid SIM card, both will require you to provide an ID to register and activate the number. This should only take a few minutes, though.

Contracts typically also require an Austrian address and bank account.

All three of the providers mentioned above also offer mobile phone services. Plus, there are many more providers available, including but not limited to:

• HoT (Hofer Telekom)
• yesss!
• spusu