What Is A Good Salary in Vienna? [2023 Guide]
What salary should you expect when applying for or accepting a job in the capital of Austria, Vienna? It’s a fantastic place to work and live. However, salaries aren’t the highest in the region. Yet, Austrians wouldn’t trade great work-life balance and Vienna’s lifestyle for higher pay in another country. So what salary should you be looking for to have a good life in Vienna?
A monthly net wage between 2,500 EUR and 3,500 EUR is considered a good wage in Austria’s capital Vienna. This corresponds to an annual gross salary of above 43,000 EUR, including bonuses. Everyone getting between 3,500 EUR and 5,000 EUR gross per month is a good earner.
Vienna is the capital of beautiful Austria and the cultural heart of central Europe. You won’t regret moving to this city. Yet, you need to consider all expenses which you will face there and make sure your job brings enough to cover your lifestyle.
Read this article to learn what salary you should aim for when working in Vienna. Besides, check this post about salaries in Austria. Also read our guide on getting a job in Vienna.
What is considered a good salary in Vienna, Austria?
In 2023, for an employee in Vienna, Austria, after-tax monthly income starting from 2,000 EUR is considered to be good. For this, one needs to have a gross annual salary of at least 40,000 – 55,000 EUR.
These numbers don’t include bonuses, which are paid twice per year. All employees in Austria receive two additional salaries that are due in June and on Christmas. For example, with an annual wage of 40,000 EUR, your June bonus is 2,263 EUR and 2,225 EUR for Christmas, while the regular monthly net salary is 1,986 EUR.
Consequently, your total monthly income after tax will be 2,360 EUR (40,000 EUR gross) when calculating the additional bonuses Austrian workers enjoy. With that said, the average salary in Vienna is 52,000 EUR per year.
A net salary between 2,000 EUR – 3,000 EUR per month is considered good for a single in Vienna, Austria.
A couple with children both earning 40,000 EUR will have a very good life. Overall, as a family, you want to have at least 60,000 EUR in shared income.
Learn about salaries in Austria.
Cost of living in Vienna
Vienna ranked on the place 55 out of the 209 cities in the Mercer Cost of living survey 2020. The single person estimated monthly costs: 1,849 EUR or 851 EUR without rent.
Rent costs for a one-bedroom apartment outside the city center are 676 EUR and 880 EUR in the city center.
In general, you want to have about 2,000 EUR at your disposal to cover all necessities and have some fun in Vienna.
Read our guide on getting a job in Vienna.
Example of a good salary in Vienna
If your base gross salary is 50,000 EUR, you will receive 33,805 EUR, annually and 2,350 EUR monthly after-tax (excluding bonuses).
In Austria, you receive 14 salaries throughout the year, that’s why your monthly wage seems to be lower as expected. Therefore, your summer bonus is 2,819 EUR, and you get an additional Christmas pay of 2,782 EUR.
The estimated cost of living for a single person in Vienna is 2,197 EUR; however, in reality, you can live on less.
Nonetheless, the gross salary of 50,000 EUR allows you to cover all necessities and more.
For example, if you want to live in one of the richest and nicest districts of Vienna in a comfortable one-bedroom apartment, you could do so. You can expect the rent to be about 800 – 1,000 EUR monthly.
Public transport in Vienna is extremely affordable and efficient. You certainly don’t need to get a car to move around. A yearly pass costs only 356 EUR and gives you unlimited access to buses, trams, and the subway.
Clothes and other common personal items cost the same as in most of Europe. Groceries are slightly more expensive than in Germany, for example, but there are plenty of discounters allowing you to save (e.g., Hofer, Lidl).
Average supermarkets are Spar,Billa,Merkur and more expensive markets include Meindl am Graben, Merkur Hoher Markt.
You will generally do great with a 50,000 EUR gross annual income in Vienna. Moreover, you will have some money to spare every month.
Let’s take a look at all major monthly expenses for someone living in Vienna with 2,350 EUR in income:
| Housing | Rent for a one-bedroom apartment close to the city center – 800 EUR |
| Utilities | 80 EUR; internet – 32 EUR |
| Transportation | 30 EUR |
| Groceries and food | 500 EUR |
| Disposal income per month | 550 EUR for closing and shoes, personal items, eating out, entertainment, and weekend trips. Your yearly holidays are covered by bonuses in June and at Christmas. |
| Saving | You can save at least 300 EUR. |
Income taxes in Vienna
In 2021, Austria had the 3rd highest taxes among the 38 OECD member countries. The average Austrian single worker paid about 33,2% of the income in taxes in 2021, compared to the OECD average of 24,6%.
Therefore, in Austria, the take-home pay of an average single worker, after all taxes and benefits, was 66,8% of their gross wage, compared with the OECD average of 75,4%. Thus, don’t move to Austria if you want to pay less taxes.
Here is an overview of tax rates and respective monthly brackets for 2023:
| Monthly salary (up to) | Tax rate |
|---|---|
| €1,099,33 | 0% |
| €1,516,00 | 20% |
| €2,599,33 | 32,5% |
| €5,016,00 | 42% |
| €7,516,00 | 48% |
| €83,349,33 | 50% |
| Above | 55% |
From July 2022, Austria will lower the third tax rate from 32,5% to 30%.
Social taxes
As an employee in Vienna, you pay social security contributions in addition to the income taxes.
About 18,12% of the gross income will be deducted for social taxes. Employers pay the social security fund on behalf of employees – 21,76% of gross salary.
Here is a breakdown of social taxes you pay in 2023 (together with your employer):
- Health insurance – 7,65% in total, freelancers and self-employed pay full amount themselves.
- Accident insurance – 1,2%
- Unemployment insurance – 6%
- Pension insurance – 22,8%, and 18,5% as a self-employed.
Find your insurance for Austria on this platform.
Bonuses
All employees receive 14th salaries in Austria. Two additional salaries are the holiday allowance and Christmas bonus. When you see a salary advertised on a job board (gross), it already includes these two bonuses; hence, you need to divide it into 14 to see your actual monthly pay.
Average salary in Vienna in 2022
Average salaries in Vienna are among the highest in Austria. According to the statistics, the average gross salary in Vienna is 54,931 EUR in 2022 – the highest in the country. In the second place is region Vorarlberg (54,101 EUR) and in third – Upper Austria (51,979 EUR).
The best-paid jobs in Vienna are in Finance & Banking, the Chemical and petroleum processing industry, and Pharma. The lowest-paid industries include:
- Leisure, Tourism
- Hotel, Gastronomy & Catering
The average salary of some typical jobs in Vienna:
| Job | Annual gross salary (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Nurse | 38,900 |
| Doctor | 73,100 |
| Projectmanager | 47,500 |
| Accountant | 51,200 |
| Data scientist | 56,500 |
| Teacher | 37,100 |
| Fireman | 51,600 |
| Help desk support | 40,900 |
| Secretary | 27,000 |
| HR manager | 43,400 |
| PR manager | 35,900 |
| Chef | 22,600 |
| Call Center agent | 23,500 |
Salaries in Vienna
Here are salaries for some common jobs in Vienna:
| Job | Median salary |
|---|---|
| DENTIST | €72,453 |
| PHARMACIST | €70,890 |
| C LEVEL EXECUTIVE | €68,792 |
| HARDWARE ENGINEER | €49,905 |
| FINANCE MANAGER | €47,222 |
| DATA SCIENTIST | €46,813 |
| IT MANAGER | €46,776 |
| ATTORNEY | €40,731 |
| BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT | €40,476 |
| PROJECT MANAGER | €40,207 |
| QA ENGINEER | €39,159 |
| FINANCIAL ANALYST | €39,073 |
| CHEMICAL ENGINEER | €37,746 |
| PHYSICIAN | €37,341 |
| MOBILE DEVELOPER | €37,303 |
| POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER | €36,029 |
| EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT | €35,643 |
| MARKETING MANAGER | €35,343 |
| SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR | €34,633 |
| DATA ANALYST | €34,621 |
| SOFTWARE ENGINEER | €34,387 |
| HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER | €34,384 |
| PRODUCT MANAGER | €33,390 |
| INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER | €32,834 |
| BUSINESS ANALYST | €31,653 |
| CHEF | €30,913 |
| RESEARCH SCIENTIST | €30,660 |
| WEB DEVELOPER | €29,535 |
| CONTENT MARKETING | €29,210 |
| SALES MANAGER | €28,942 |
| WEB DESIGNER | €28,670 |
| ELECTRICAL ENGINEER | €27,345 |
| ACCOUNT MANAGER | €26,690 |
| MECHANICAL ENGINEER | €26,656 |
| FASHION DESIGNER | €26,240 |
| OFFICE MANAGER | €25,494 |
| RECEPTIONIST | €25,416 |
| ACCOUNTANT | €25,053 |
| COPYWRITER | €24,517 |
| CIVIL ENGINEER | €23,920 |
| OPERATIONS MANAGER | €23,127 |
| NURSE | €22,361 |
| UX DESIGNER | €21,610 |
| ARCHITECT | €21,156 |
| TEACHER | €20,688 |
| CUSTOMER SUPPORT | €20,100 |
| ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT | €19,984 |
| LECTURER | €19,338 |
| WAITER | €18,450 |
| GRAPHIC DESIGNER | €17,722 |
| CASHIER | €13,693 |
| INTERIOR DESIGNER | €12,266 |
Highest average salaries in Austria
In Austria, the following professionals enjoy the highest income:
- doctors (79,000 EUR)
- managers (73,000 EUR)
- financial experts (72,250 EUR)
- investment advisors or controllers
- lawyers (63,650 EUR)
Is 55,000 EUR per year a good salary in Vienna, Austria?
A gross salary of 55,000 EUR will give you 36,072 EUR net, including bonuses, that’s about 3,000 EUR per month. Considering the cost of living in Austria, you can live a very comfortable life at 3,000 EUR per month.
The average salary across Austria was 52,000 EUR in 2021.
With an annual income of 55,000 EUR, you can rent a nice apartment and affordable, high-quality food, eating out, hobbies, traveling, and some savings. Moreover, as a single, you could easily afford great rentals and even a mortgage.
Let’s look into expenses you might have when earning 55,000 EUR in Vienna:
- 800 EUR – rent
- 150 EUR – utilities
- 30 EUR – transport
- 550 EUR – food
- 500 EUR – personal spendings e.g., eating out, entertainment, communications, clothing
- Total: 2,030 EUR
Is 42,000 EUR annual salary good in Vienna, Austria?
A gross salary of 42,000 EUR leaves you 29,217 EUR net annually or 2,434 EUR monthly, including bonuses. You can live comfortably on around 2,000 EUR per month. Therefore, a gross salary of 42,000 EUR is good for Vienna, Austria.
The cost of living in Vienna is 1,849 EUR for a single person.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Vienna?
Vienna is cheaper than many people think. In fact, it’s much more affordable than cities like London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, etc.
Generally, an adult would need around 2,000 EUR per month to live comfortably in the Austrian capital. This includes:
- renting a one-bedroom apartment in the good area
- buying average and high-quality food
- going out for meals and drinks
- yearly vacation and gateways weekends
- saving at least 100 EUR-200 EUR every month
Students can live on a small budget since most of them rent a room in a shared apartment, which costs between 350 EUR and 500 EUR per month. Therefore, 950 EUR – 1,100 EUR is a comfortable amount to live as a student in Vienna.
The general cost of living in Vienna:
- Family of four estimated monthly costs are 4,099 EUR
- A single person estimated monthly costs are 2,197 EUR
Rent
How much you will pay for rent lies mainly on the location. Yet, even in the central area, you can find a decent one-bedroom apartment for 700 – 800 EUR/month.
Here is an overview of prices:
- 500 EUR+ for a studio
- 650 EUR+ for a 1 bedroom flat
- 800 – 1,000 EUR+ for 2 bedroom flat
Utilities
- 60-150 EUR/month for gas and electricity
- 10–20 EUR/month for phone
- 20–35 EUR/month for internet
Transport
Annual transport pass includes buses, trams, metro and trains and costs 365 EUR/year.
Food
Groceries are priced at the European average. Budget at least 200 EUR/month for basic products.
Entertainment
- Gym membership: from 20 EUR/month
- Beer: 3,50–4 EUR/half liter
- Glass of wine: from 3,50 EUR
- Lunch: from 10 EUR
- Dinner: 12–25 EUR
You can enjoy many free-time activities for free, including cycling, parks, vineyards, hiking, skiing, free concerts, movies, etc.
Healthcare
As an employee, you can select between public and private health insurance. The rate of public health insurance is based on your income – employees pay 7,65% of their gross salary (half paid by the employer). In contrast, private insurance will cost you a fixed amount independently of your income.
Self-employed and freelancers pay a whole 7,65% for public health insurance.
Private health insurance is often cheaper than a public one. Expats can take out coverage with Care Austria for a very reasonable price (starting from 51 EUR per month). It’s one of the best insurance for expats and international students in Austria.
Moreover, their packages are 100% valid for visa and resident permit applications. I used Care Austria for my application and kept the insurance for the entire three years I lived in Austria.
The second option for expats is Cigna Global. They offer international coverage. Hence, you can use their policy not only in Austria but almost anywhere in the world.
With 74,000 employees, 200 years of experience, and more than 100 million customers globally, Cigna is one of the largest international insurance providers out there.
With Cigna, you can enjoy instant and easy access to healthcare facilities and professionals around the globe.
Visit their website to learn more and choose the optimal coverage for your situation. Find here the sign-in form in German for German speakers.
Find your insurance for Austria on this platform.
Is Vienna the best city to live in Austria? Check out this article on our top cities in this beautiful country.
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