Cost of Living: Graz vs Vienna (2026)

Austria vs Austria — relocation comparison

Your passport:

Livability Score

Graz

Vienna

$772/mo

Rent

$1303/mo

78/100

Livability

78/100

90/100

Safety

87/100

85/100

Healthcare

85/100

5 yr

PR path

5 yr

—

Internet

101 Mbps

Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)

Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)

Freelance setup

EPU

VAT-free under €42k
27% social
€1400/yr accountant

WiseStripe

EPU

VAT-free under €42k
27% social
€1400/yr accountant

WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRGraz is 41% cheaper on rent ($772/mo vs $1303/mo). Both cities require a personal relationship with your winter coat.

Graz and Vienna are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin.

Household

Graz

Metric

Vienna

✓$772/mo

🏠

Rent (1BR centre)

$1303/mo

$909/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

$877/mo

✓$4,786

🧳

Cost to land

$7,164

✓0.9 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

1.0 / 100k

—

🚨

Crime perception

lower is better

28 / 100

25°C

☀️

Summer high

24°C

-3°C

❄️

Winter low

-2°C

—

⚡

Internet speed

101 Mbps

15.1 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

12.6 μg/m³✓

8.3 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

8.3 / 10

100/100

🗣️

Street English

100/100

$74k

💼

GDP per capita

$74k

2.9% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

2.9% · Boringly steady

78 / 100

🏅

Livability Score

78 / 100

—

⚡

Grid reliability

92/100 — Reliable

—

🗽

Freedom House

93/100

5 years

📋

Time to PR

5 years

See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Graz

$531/mo cheaper on rent alone

Sun

How much sky you actually get

40% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

50% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

8.6h

Shortest day

Dec

8.3h

15.8h

Longest day

Jun

16.1h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

—

Democracy trend

stable →

Inflation trend

improving ↑

—

Industries

life-sciencesfintechict-softwarecreative

—

Startup ecosystem

active

—

Grid reliability

92/100

5 yrs

Time to PR

5 yrs

Moderate

🇺🇸 Your visa

Moderate

Easy

EU visa

Easy

Moderate

RU visa

Moderate

UA visa

Moderate

✅ Partner can work immediately

Spouse works

✅ Partner can work immediately

Not recognized

eingetragene Partnerschaft

Partner pathway

Not recognized

eingetragene Partnerschaft

Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)

Tax breaks

Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

On request

14 wk

Gestational limit

14 wk

Legal within first trimester. Counseling required.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

50/100

Rainbow Index

50/100

Legal

Marriage

Legal

Joint adoption

Adoption

Joint adoption

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Yes

Source: Rainbow Europe (ILGA-Europe)

The Short Version

•Rent is 41% cheaper in Graz ($772/mo vs $1303/mo for a 1BR city centre).
•Summers are slightly warmer in Graz (25°C vs 24°C).

Graz vs Vienna — Common Questions

Is Graz cheaper than Vienna?▾

Graz is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $772/month in Graz vs $1303/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Graz or Vienna?▾

Graz is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Graz has a rate of 0.88 per 100,000 and Vienna has 1.01 per 100,000.

Should I move to Graz or Vienna?▾

Graz and Vienna are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Graz or Vienna?▾

Graz: EU Blue Card (Austria) (complex process, Up to 4 years). Vienna: EU Blue Card (Austria) (complex process, Up to 4 years). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

What's the cost of rent in Graz vs Vienna?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $772/month in Graz, $1303/month in Vienna (Numbeo). That's 41% cheaper rent in Graz.