Cost #21/31 · Cost of living · Europe · Eurostat PLI 2024
🇦🇹 Cost of living in Austria
Austria runs pricier than most of the EU-27 across rent, groceries and transport - see where the gap is widest and how far local income actually stretches.
- Cost rank · cheapest = #1 of 31
- #21
- Affordability rank · highest purchasing power = #1 of 29
- #3
Austria's livability score
Livability score
49/100
Austria, weighted across 8 of 8 tracked dimensions
A cost-and-income composite (price-level indices plus purchasing power), not an overall quality-of-life judgment, it does not weigh climate, safety, culture, or healthcare outcomes.
- Purchasing power A+ €36,546
Median net income adjusted for local cost level
- Overall cost F 120
Eurostat overall price level (EU27=100)
- Rent F 113
Housing / rent price level (EU27=100)
- Groceries F 111
Food and non-alcoholic beverages (EU27=100)
- Healthcare F 148
Healthcare price level (EU27=100)
- Transport F 109
Transport price level (EU27=100)
- Utilities F 107
Electricity / gas / water (EU27=100)
- Restaurants F 110
Restaurants and hotels (EU27=100)
Austria: large 2024 Eurostat move
Overall cost index moved +1.8 vs the 2023 archive - among the larger European shifts this release.
- Utilities index 116 107 2023 → 2024
Utilities index fell from 116 to 107 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Healthcare index 144 148 2023 → 2024
Healthcare index rose from 144 to 148 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Restaurants index 108 110 2023 → 2024
Restaurants index rose from 108 to 110 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Overall cost index 118 120 2023 → 2024
Overall cost index rose from 118 to 120 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Transport index 108 109 2023 → 2024
Transport index rose from 108 to 109 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
Austria in the 100-119 cost band
On the EU-27 = 100 scale, Austria's overall index (120) sits in the 100-119 band with 3 other published countries. The Europe-wide band mix lives on the rankings hub, not repeated here.
Where Austria's high price level concentrates
Bars + gauge for an above-EU overall index (120): which categories drive the premium, not a restated Europe lecture.
Austria - price level by category (EU-27 = 100)
🇦🇹 Austria vs EU-27 = 100
Gauge reads the same overall cost_index (120); the tick marks the EU average.
In Austria, healthcare is the most expensive category and utilities the least.
Why Austria reads expensive on Eurostat
Austria's overall consumer price level is 20% above the EU-27 average. (How this index is built →)
Healthcare is the priciest category in Austria, at index 148, ahead of utilities at index 107 relative to the EU basket.
That price gap trims real purchasing power here: because prices run above the EU average, the headline income of €36,546 is worth closer to €30,531 once translated into EU-27-average terms.
Cities in Austria
National averages hide the big-city premium. See real monthly rent, groceries and transit costs for Austria's cities.
Eurostat PLI Basket · similar price levels and purchasing power
Two peer sets for Austria: nearest overall price-level indices (EU-27 = 100) and nearest cost-adjusted incomes (median net income ÷ cost index). The cost band block above stays cohort-based; these neighborhoods vary by entity.
Similar overall cost index
Nearest countries by Eurostat price level (120 here, EU-27 = 100).
PLI neighbourhood · Austria
Similar purchasing power
Nearest countries by cost-adjusted income (€30,531 here).
What to do with this Austria data
Austria ranks #3 of 29 for cost-adjusted purchasing power. A raw price index alone does not tell you whether income stretches further here than elsewhere.
- Run the numbers for Austria in the calculator
- Compare Austria vs Belgium side by side
- See the full best-value ranking
- Browse every country we track
These are Eurostat comparative price-level averages for the whole country, not a personal budget. Regional and city-level costs can differ substantially from the national figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austria expensive to live in?
Austria's overall cost of living is 20% above the EU-27 average (index 120). Healthcare is the priciest category and utilities the cheapest.
What are housing & utilities costs in Austria?
Austria's housing & utilities price index is 113, above the EU norm.
How does income compare to costs in Austria?
That price gap trims real purchasing power here: because prices run above the EU average, the headline income of €36,546 is worth closer to €30,531 once translated into EU-27-average terms.
PlainCostOfLiving is rendered directly from Eurostat comparative price levels and median equivalised net income, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-20. Primary sources: Eurostat comparative price levels (prc_ppp_ind) and Eurostat median equivalised net income (ilc_di03).