Townleap

Cost of Living: Graz vs Yerevan (2026)

Austria vs Armenia — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Graz
Yerevan
$772/mo
Rent
$680/mo
78/100
Livability
67/100
90/100
Safety
65/100
85/100
Healthcare
65/100
5 yr
PR path
3 yr
Internet
65 Mbps
Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)
Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

Freelance setup
EPU
  • VAT-free under €42k
  • 27% social
  • €1400/yr accountant
WiseStripe
Individual Entrepreneur
  • VAT-free under €250k
  • 5% social
  • €300/yr accountant

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRYerevan is 12% cheaper on rent ($680/mo vs $772/mo). Armenia gets you to permanent residency 2 years faster (3 vs 5 years). Both cities require a personal relationship with your winter coat.
Graz scores 78 to Yerevan's 67 on livability — the gap is real. Yerevan has its charms, but the numbers favor Graz.
Household
Graz
Metric
Yerevan
$772/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$680/mo
$909/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$308/mo
$4,786
🧳
Cost to land
$2,450
0.9 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
2.2 / 100k
🚨
Crime perception
lower is better
22 / 100
25°C
☀️
Summer high
34°C
-3°C
❄️
Winter low
-6°C
Internet speed
65 Mbps
15.1 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
10.6 μg/m³
8.3 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
5.3 / 10
100/100
🗣️
Street English
37/100
$74k
💼
GDP per capita
$9k
2.9% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
0.3% · Practically frozen
78 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
67 / 100
Grid reliability
50/100 — Unreliable
🗽
Freedom House
54/100
5 years
📋
Time to PR
3 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
Yerevan
$92/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Graz
0.9 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Graz
8.3/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
25°C vs 34°C summers
🗣️
English
Graz
higher proficiency score
📋
Residency
Yerevan
PR in 3 years

Sun

How much sky you actually get

40% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
62% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.6h
Shortest day
Dec
9.3h
15.8h
Longest day
Jun
15.0h

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
stable
Inflation trend
improving
Industries
techminingtourismfood-beverage
Startup ecosystem
active
Grid reliability
50/100
5 yrs
Time to PR
3 yrs
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
Easy
Easy
EU visa
Easy
Moderate
RU visa
Easy
Moderate
UA visa
Easy
Partner can work immediately
Spouse works
Not recognized
eingetragene Partnerschaft
Partner pathway
Zuzugsfreibetrag (Researcher Relocation Allowance), Flat-Rate Foreign Income Tax (Zuzugsbegünstigung)
Tax breaks

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
12 wk

Legal within first trimester. Counseling required.

On request up to 12 weeks. Broader grounds up to 22 weeks.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

50/100
Rainbow Index
9/100
Legal
Marriage
Not recognized
Joint adoption
Adoption
Not allowed
Yes
Job protection
No
Yes
Hate crime law
No

Source: Rainbow Europe (ILGA-Europe)

The Short Version

  • Rent is 12% cheaper in Yerevan ($680/mo vs $772/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are dramatically warmer in Yerevan (34°C vs 25°C).
  • Graz is safer by homicide rate (0.9 vs 2.2 per 100k).
  • Graz scores higher on democracy (8.3 vs 5.3 / 10 EIU).
  • Street-level English is easier in Graz (100/100 vs 37/100).

Graz vs Yerevan — Common Questions

Is Graz cheaper than Yerevan?

Yerevan is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $680/month in Yerevan vs $772/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Graz or Yerevan?

Graz is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Graz has a rate of 0.88 per 100,000 and Yerevan has 2.21 per 100,000.

Should I move to Graz or Yerevan?

Graz scores 78 to Yerevan's 67 on livability — the gap is real. Yerevan has its charms, but the numbers favor Graz. 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 Yerevan?

Graz: EU Blue Card (Austria) (complex process, Up to 4 years). Yerevan: no specific remote work visa. See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Graz or Yerevan?

Yerevan is warmer in summer (34°C vs 25°C). Graz has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Graz or Yerevan without speaking the local language?

Graz is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Yerevan (37/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Graz vs Yerevan?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $680/month in Yerevan, $772/month in Graz (Numbeo). That's 12% cheaper rent in Yerevan.

Is Graz or Yerevan better for democracy and rule of law?

Graz scores 8.3/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 5.3/10 for Yerevan. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Is healthcare better in Graz or Yerevan?

Graz scores higher on our composite healthcare index (85/100 vs 65/100 for Yerevan). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

Quiz →