Vienna is for many people a dream destination. It has a rich cultural scene and is home to some of the best galleries and museums in Europe. At the same time, you don't have to venture far to find nature that wouldn't be out of place in a children's fairytale book.
Austria is also known for its robust healthcare system, strong labour rights and healthy work-life-balance.
But to enjoy all of that, most of us need to secure a stable job. So what is considered a comfortable or even high salary in Austria, and in particular: the capital Vienna.
What's a comfortable wage in Austria and Vienna?
According to Stepstone's 2025 salary report, based on salary data from 2024, Austria's median gross annual salary for full-time employees was €55,000. This includes 13th and 14th salary payments, where applicable, as well as bonuses and other additional pay.
This equals an average gross monthly salary of around €3,900 and typically leaves employees with a net income of around €2,600 per month, depending on tax benefits and deductions.
Larger Austrian cities tend to have higher salaries. With a median annual salary of €59,000, Vienna led Austria's nine federal states. It was followed by Vorarlberg at €56,750.
Salary increases in 2026 have varied across industries, with many pay rises negotiated through collective agreements (Kollektivverträge). In Vienna, you are typically considered to have a comfortable to high income if you earn between €3,500 and €5,000 before taxes every month.
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What's considered a high wage in Austria?
Of course, there are huge variations in how much you'll earn at a job.
Typically, doctors are the highest earners in Austria, with a median annual salary of €109,750, followed by people in management roles and those in the banking, finance and insurance industries (median annual salary of around €70,000- €72,750).
People in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, IT and Internet services, engineering and machinery, energy and utilities, and the automotive and aerospace sectors also earn hefty pay packages.
A report from Der Standard published in June 2025 sheds more light on what's considered a high wage. Salary expert Conrad Pramböck of Upstyle Consulting told the newspaper that a comfortable salary in Austria is between €3,900 and €4,400 gross, paid 14 times a year.
If you earn €5,150 a month before tax, you're among the top 10 percent of earners in the country (this works out at €72,100 annually). Meanwhile, earning €6,550 gross per month, paid 14 times a year, puts you among the top five percent of earners in the country.
You reach the top one percent of earners in Austria when you take home €11,100 per month before tax, 14 times per year.
Employment opportunities in Vienna
Vienna is home to a large life sciences community with lots of researcher roles available.
There are also a range of opportunities in IT, healthcare, finance, tourism, engineering, logistics, the media and creative industries.
Some of the largest employers in Vienna are the City of Vienna, the General Hospital, Erste Bank, Wien Energie and ÖBB.
Employers that tend to have a lot of international workers include the United Nations, Microsoft, Refurbed, Dynatrace and Austrian Airlines.
READ ALSO: How hard is it for immigrants to find a job in Austria?
How high is the cost of living in Vienna?
Unfortunately, the cost of everyday goods as well as rent and other services has been increasing in Vienna and Austria because of stubbornly high inflation.
Rent for a one-bedroom flat in the city centre costs around €1,135 per month, according to the crowdsourced analysis site Numbeo, while a similar flat outside central areas costs approximately €800.
A three-bedroom apartment outside the city centre might set you back around €1,365 per month.
Rooms in shared flats, known as WGs, are often advertised for around €500 to €700 per month in Vienna, although prices vary considerably depending on location and room size. Cheaper options below €450 can still be found, according to ImmoScout24's Vienna flatshare listings.
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A meal for two at a mid-range restaurant might cost around €75, while a cappuccino reportedly costs €4.50.
Meanwhile, an annual public transport ticket for Wiener Linien costs €467, or €461 for the digital version, when paid in full.
Food prices have also fluctuated during 2026. According to preliminary figures from Statistik Austria, prices for food, alcohol and tobacco were 1 percent higher in September than a year earlier, while overall inflation stood at 3.6 percent.
Of course, how far your wages stretch depends on personal factors, such as where you choose to live, your lifestyle, whether you travel a lot and your family situation.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Vienna has already increased several public fees in 2026. An annual library card now costs €45, while meals at municipal kindergartens cost €99.49 per month from September 2026. A separate increase in dog tax to €120 annually is due to take effect in January 2027.
READ ALSO: 'Unable to save money' - Is Austria an affordable place for foreigners to live?
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