Removals to Austria – compare living costs Vienna vs London

You are currently living in London and are thinking about moving to Vienna, yet you are not sure how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living. Or perhaps you work remotely and are wondering which of the two cities – Vienna or London – would be cheaper to live in?

Vienna is an artistic, musical, and ritzy city. Many visitors also come here because of its amazing beauty. It’s also popular because of the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

London is an iconic, global, and international city. With plenty of activities and things to do, it’s a huge city that draws plenty of visitors. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the live music, food, and shopping.

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you’re trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the living costs between Vienna and London can help you decide which place is right for you. In this article we will compare the cost of living in those two cities, covering the essential aspects of life, such as food, housing, clothes, transportation, personal care, and entertainment.

Cost of accommodation in Vienna

Accommodation is one of the biggest costs that emigrants moving to Vienna will face. Rental costs vary depending on the area of the city and the size and condition of the property. Living in the city centre is more expensive than staying in the outlying suburbs.
Besides food, paying for accommodation will be one of the biggest costs once you move to Vienna. How high your rental costs are will depend on the location of your apartment since the prices rise in some more prominent areas of the city. The size, furniture, and condition of the apartment also determine the price. It can be a challenge to find a suitable property in Vienna and most emigrants enlist the help of a real estate agent.

Emigrants should be aware that additional fees, which are equivalent to two or three months’ rent, can be charged by the agent. Tenants are expected to pay a security deposit which is usually the equivalent of one to three months’ rent.

According to some estimates, Vienna is cheaper than about 60% of cities in Western Europe. Even so, you need to plan out your budget. And knowing the differences between your home country and Vienna is essential to doing that. So we put together this overview of some of the expenses you may encounter in Vienna.

The price of average rent in Vienna depends mostly on two things: the size of the rental and its location. A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre will cost you roughly €850 (£718) but only about €599 (£506) on Vienna’s periphery. Similarly, a three-bedroom apartment in the centre is about €1500 (£1267) but on the outskirts just €1100 (£929).

Cost of accommodation in London

London is known to be one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in, so you will likely need to make some adjustments to your budget.
Here we will provide a detailed look at the cost of living in London, and what you can expect your monthly expenses to look like.

The average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom property is around £2,400, and the average cost to purchase a 3-bedroom home is £967,989.
While it does take patience and research, and maybe some compromise, it is still possible to find something in your price range in an area that suits your needs. Figuring out what is most important to you when looking for a home can help save you money. For example, a flat located right next to a Tube station will cost more than one that is a 15-minute walk away. If you work from home and will not be commuting multiple times a day, it could save you quite a bit of money not having a Tube station so easily accessible. If you are single or do not have a family, you can also drastically cut the cost of your monthly rent by renting a room in a flatshare. As with any city, property prices can vary greatly depending on which area of London you are in. South London, for example, generally has lower rental prices than the other regions in London, with rent for a 1-bedroom flat averaging £1,456 per month.

This is quite different from the same flat in Chelsea leased for £2,244 per month. If you work in Central London and want to be near your office, as well as the busy city centre, you can expect to pay £2,000 for a 1 bedroom apartment.No matter where you are renting, it is likely that you will be required to pay a monthly fee for renter’s insurance. This typically costs anywhere from £6 to £15 per month.

Costs of groceries, food and restaurants in Vienna

Vienna is home to an abundance of grocery chains such as Bila, Spar, and Hoffer. At these stores, emigrants should be able to find a good choice of groceries at reasonable prices.
There are many different estimates out there, so we’ll try and make sense of them as well as show you some of the points of comparison and their costs. First is food. It depends on how much you need per month and of what quality, but overall, cooking at home will always be cheaper than eating out. A basic lunch menu can cost somewhere between €10 – €18 (£8 – £13) and around €9 (£7) in a fast-food restaurant, but if you shop smart, even €6 (£5) can get you several nice home-cooked lunches. So depending on your time and your budget, the expenses will change dramatically. Food is a big part of your monthly expenses and in Vienna, it is much cheaper to cook at your own home than to eat out. Bread and eggs are quite expensive, while milk can be found at a reasonable price. One way of saving money on food is to get ingredients in advance, while they are on discount.

Vienna is covered with tourists and that is why restaurants in the centre of the city usually have higher meal prices. If you are looking for a less expensive restaurant, you can find those with inexpensive dishes, and you will need to pay about €12 – €25 (£10-20) for one meal.

Food prices in grocery stores and supermarkets in Vienna

DAIRY PRODUCTS:

• MILK 1L €0.8 / €1
• 10 EGGS €2 / €3
• BUTTER €6 / €8
• CHEESES SOFT €7 / €14 (per kg).
• CHEESES HARD €13 / €30 (per kg).

MEAT AND CHICKEN:

• Beef fillet €10 / €19
• Pork fillet €5 / €10
• Minced meat €9
• chilled whole chicken €7 / €10
• Chicken breasts fillets €10 / €12
• Salami 100gr €2.20 / €3
• Smoked meat, and sausages €25 / €30 (per 1 kg).
• Sausages €8 / €10

FISH:

• Fresh fish €13 / €50
• Salmon €20 / €30
• Scallop €45
• Salted salmon €5
• Salted Herring
• Mathieu 200gr €2.6

FRUITS (1 kg)

• Apples €2
• Oranges, tangerines, pineapples €2 / €3
• Strawberry, raspberry €7 / €8
• Pineapple € 1 per kg.
• Kiwi €0.25 per piece
• Plums €1.8 per kg

VEGETABLES (1 kg)

• Potatoes €1
• Pepper €2
• Cabbage €1.8 – 2.3
• Carrots €2
• Tomatoes €2 / €3

BEER and ALCOHOL

• Beer €0.75 / €1
  wine €4 / €8
  pack of cigarettes €4

VARIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS IN SUPERMARKETS:

• Bread 500 gr. €1.3 / €2.6
• Chocolate 100gr. €1.6
• Kit-Kat €1.65
• Macaroni Italy 500gr. €0.8
• Tea 20 pcs. €2
• Muesli 450 g €2.5
• Juice 1l. €1.4 / €2
• Ready-made salads 240gr. €3

Restaurant prices in Vienna

Eating-out prices in Vienna

• Street food (hot dog, kebab) €3 / €4
• Hamburger at McDonald’s €3.7
• Cappuccino at a cafe €2.5 / €4.5
• Croissant €1
• Cake €3
• Viennese schnitzel in a local restaurant €7
• Viennese schnitzel in a tourist restaurant €15 / €25
• Beer at a bar €3

Street and fast food cost

• Kebab, hot dog, hamburger on street €3 / €4
• Noodles, rice with vegetables, and chicken €3.6 / €4.6
• Japanese rolls 6 pcs €3
• Coca-Cola, tea and other drinks 05l. €2
• Cappuccino €2.8
• Beer 0.5l €2.8 / €3.2
  Marlboro Cigarettes €5.9
• Prices in Vienna coffeehouses
• Cappuccino €2.8 / €3.4
• Espresso €1.8 / €2.7
• Croissant, bun €0.7 / €1.1
• Donuts pies puffs €2
• Cake €2.2 / €3.2
• Ice cream (1 ball) €1.3

Examples of dishes in a Vienna restaurant

• Schnitzel with potato salad €15
• Boiled beef Viennese apple horseradish, spinach, and roasted potatoes €16
• Stew cabbage with meat and potatoes €11
• Beef stew with potatoes and parsley €11
• Sirloin of beef grilled €22
• Steak ostrich meat with baby carrots and boiled potatoes with parsley €24
• Wiener Schnitzel €12.20
• The American sandwich is €4.70
• Toast €3.40

Food prices in grocery stores and supermarkets in London

London has an abundance of great food at different price points, but eating out all the time can be expensive.
Here are some tips to buy groceries at a cheaper rate, as well as tips to eat out without breaking your wallet. An overview of prices in a budget supermarket away from central London. Food prices here are comparatively low for the UK, we can say that the lower range of food prices.

Fresh meat

• Ground beef £4 / £6
• Chilled beef £6 / £8
• Beef steaks £14 / £18
• Lamb £10 / £13
• Pork £4 / £6
• Pork sausages for frying £4 / £5
• Frozen semi-finished meat products £4 / £6
• Smoked Sausage £8 / £13

Chicken Prices

• Whole chicken £2.5 / £4 per 1 kg
  Chicken wings £1.7 / £2
  Chicken breast fillet £4 / £5

Fish and seafood

• Chilled salmon, mackerel, or cod fillets £10 / £12
  Smoked salmon £16
  King prawns, peeled £11 / £12
  Various frozen fish £6 / £7

Dairy & Eggs

• Fresh milk 1L £0.5 / £1
• Butter £6 / £8
• Eggs (10 pieces) £1 / £1.5
• Various yoghourts £0.3 / £0.5

Examples of the cost of cheese in London

• Cheddar type cheese £4 / £6
• Mozzarella cheese £3.5
• Ricotta cheese £3
• Imported cheese – Parmesan £10 / £11

Inexpensive Vegetables and Fruits

• Potatoes £0.5 / £1
• Tomatoes £2 / £3
• Carrot £0.5
• Apples £0.7 / £1.3
• Oranges £0.7 / £1
• Grapes £2.4 / £3
• Pineapple (per piece) £1.8
• Bananas £0.5

Various groceries in stores

Pasta, spaghetti (per 500 gr) £0.4 / £0.6 per 500 gr
Breakfast cereals and cereals £1 / £1.5
Rice (per 1 kg) £0.8 / £1.5
Dark Chocolate ( per 100 g) £0.8 / £1.2
Olive oil £1.75
Sunflower oil £0.5
Canned corn, and green peas £0.3
English breakfast tea 50 sachets £1
Various juices in tetra packets ( per 1L) £0.7 / £1

The Bread Cost

White toast bread 400gr. £0.45 / £0.6
Malted bloomer 800gr. £0.9 / £1.2
Blueberry muffin 4 pcs. £0.85 / £1

Alcohol prices in UK shops

Beer usually costs ( per 0.5l.) £1 / £1.5
Irish Apple Cider £0.85 / £1
Whiskey Highland Earl Scotch Whiskey ( 1l ) £14 / £15
Greyson’s London Dry Gin ( 1l ) £14 / £15
Rum Old Hopking Sea Dog Black Spice Rum ( 1l ) £14 / £15
Vodka Triple Distilled Vodka ( 1l) £14 / £15
Table wine French Dry Red Wine ( 0.7 l.) £5 / £6
Cognac Remy Martin V.S.O.P. (70cl ) £30
Cigarettes cost £10 on average

Vienna has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The city’s cuisine has been influenced by many different flavours. Pastries are ubiquitous so make sure you try the apfelstrudel and kaiserschmarrn. Other common dishes include wiener schnitzel and goulash.

London has several nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Although the food here was once the butt of several jokes, the restaurant scene has come a long way, and you can find anything and everything around town.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Vienna and London both offer public transport to get you around. The thorough and efficient public transit system of London can take you anywhere. From the iconic double-decker buses to the Tube, there are plenty of options throughout the city. Vienna can get around quickly with the extensive public transit system. The system includes buses, trains, trams, and underground lines. A plate of salad is €6.50

Public transportation in Vienna

Every city has its good points and its bad points. The public transport system is one of Vienna’s good points.
It is not just that public transportation in Vienna is affordable (and that is wonderful by itself), it is also that it is always clean, trains, trams, and buses arrive every few minutes and are almost always on time.

Single ticket price
Single ticket: €2.40 (£ 2.03)
Tickets must be validated at the U-Bahn station or when you get on the bus or tram.

Vienna travel passes
These travel passes allow unlimited use of the public transport networks for the duration of their validity, activated from the time of first use:

24-hour pass: €8 ( £ 6.75)
48-hour pass: €14.10 (£ 12)
72-hour pass: €17.10 (£ 14)
Weekly pass: €16.20 (£ 13)(valid for a specific calendar week from Monday to Sunday – this is not a 7-day ticket).

Other travel cards

The Vienna City Card includes unlimited travel for one adult and one child under 15 years old, plus discounts and benefits at museums, shops, restaurants and other attractions around the city. It is valid for the specified duration from the time it is first used.
24 hours: €17 (£ 14)
48 hours: €25 (£ 21)
72 hours: €29 (£ 24.50)

You can buy public transport tickets at the offices and machines at the metro and train stations. The machines offer many different ticket and travel pass options and accept cards and cash. Public transportation even runs overnight on Friday and Saturday nights, so getting home from that nightclub or bar is a snap. The system has been designed so efficiently that in Vienna, unlike in many cities around the world, you will never be expected to set off on a 1-mile hike just to get to the next mode of public transportation you need. In most cases, you will be able to see them as you exit your first mode. If you buy a ticket from A to B, it doesn’t matter if you take the tram, city train, subway, or catch the bus. Or use all four to make the journey (provided you don’t take any detours or long breaks). If you have children, those under six do not need a ticket. Trams, buses, and subway also remain free until the end of the academic year when the child turns six.

London public transport

London’s famous red buses are frequent and for those ready to invest in understanding the route map, it is very rewarding and cheap. You’ll see a lot more on the top deck of a bus than underground on the Tube 🙂 London has also a very large commuter rail network separate from the famous London Underground. Although used by locals to get home from work, places like Windsor and Hampton Court are also attractive even to visitors. Public transport in London is not cheap, and if you’re on a budget it’s worth spending time to make sure you buy the cheapest ticket or pass for your visit. You should never pay the full cash fare for tickets on any form of transport in London. The full fare means buying a single paper ticket from an underground station ticket machine, either with cash or coins or with a debit/credit card. It’s always cheaper to Pay as you go with an Oyster card or contactless debit/credit card or to buy a Travelcard or bus pass.
Single tickets cost much less than paying the full fare and if you use the underground for 3 or more journeys during the day, there’s a ‘daily cap’ — the maximum amount deducted from your card. If you don’t want to keep your Oyster card for another visit, you can get a refund for the money you don’t use.

For travel in zone 1-2:

Single tickets on the underground cost £2.50 with an Oyster card/contactless card. The full cash fare is £6.30.
If you use your card to pay for transport in central London for the whole day, the ‘daily cap’ – the maximum amount deducted is £7.70.
The next best option, if you don’t have an Oyster or a contactless card, is a One Day Travelcard. It’s £14.40 for zones 1-4, but you still save money if you use it for 3 or more trips on the underground.
Is there anything cheaper?
Yes, don’t use the underground or trains and only use the buses. The ‘daily bus cap’ with a Pay as you go Oyster card or contactless card is the cheapest way to travel around London for the day.
For all zones:
A bus fare is £1.65 for as many bus journeys as you want within one hour if you use an Oyster/contactless card. (Cash is not accepted on London buses)
If you use an Oyster/contactless card to pay for bus travel for the whole day, the maximum amount deducted from your card is £4.95
If you don’t have an Oyster or a contactless card, a paper One Day Bus pass costs £5.50.
Before you decide to move to Vienna, weigh the pros and cons of living in Austria’s capital with our side-by-side comparison.

PROS OF LIVING IN VIENNA:

Transportation: Vienna is a very bicycle-friendly city, has excellent public transportation and is well connected to other European cities by rail and plane.
Viennese culture is lively and you’ll find world-class museums, opera, classical and modern music, astonishing architecture, and tasty cuisine in the city.
Vienna (and all of Austria) has a good healthcare system and you’ll get access even if you are an emigrant.
Vienna is very safe and has a good infrastructure with safe roads, fast internet, and high-quality education.

CONS LIVING IN VIENNA:

The weather gets cold and dark in the winter for quite some time. Stay away if you can’t deal with four full seasons.
Similar to German culture, making local friends is a slow and steady process instead of instant acquaintances.
Locals in Vienna have a certain attitude that foreigners often perceive as rude, though it just comes down to cultural differences.
The buildings, the culture, and the sheer historic beauty are obvious attractions and provided you take enough clothing to survive an Austrian winter, there are many things to enjoy in Vienna. It is no wonder the Viennese are so proud of their city – just a shame that it sometimes feels like they’re not that keen on sharing it with everyone else.

PROS OF LIVING IN LONDON :

Job opportunities: London is full of jobs and can be a great place to develop your career, or even start a new one. To get jobs you can search online, look in newspapers, walk in, or apply through recruitment agencies.
Lots of housing: There are heaps of housing options throughout London and it’s very easy to find a place. You can find your independent place through estate agents, or what a lot of people do is stay in a house share where they basically find a spare room.
Free healthcare: A benefit that the Brits take for granted is the free healthcare that they get. In many countries around the world, you have to pay for health insurance or other means to get access to healthcare. It’s worth noting that technically when living and working in England you will be paying for it through your tax and national insurance contributions. This comes out of your salary every month.
Great food: London offers great food and you’ll find options that suit all budgets. From restaurants high-quality, fast food, and markets, to cheap meal deals in grocery stores. There is also tons of competition which helps make businesses keep their prices low. This makes it easy to live in London when on a budget and also makes it easy to eat healthily.

CONS LIVING IN LONDON:

To common complaints of any big city like overcrowding, high prices and pollution, London is no exception. Plagued by these issues and terrible weather London can sometimes be equally frustrating as it is amazing.
Long commutes: A lot of people living in London end up living far from where they work.
Expensive: As you can expect London is an extremely expensive city to live in.
If you are wanting a quiet city to live in, then London definitely isn’t that. Especially around peak time, you’ll find huge amounts of people on transport, in stations, and even on the streets. So if you decide to live in London be prepared to have your patience tested and be tolerant of the people around you.

IS IT CHEAPER TO LIVE IN VIENNA THAN IN LONDON?

Yes, definitely Vienna is cheaper.
With a low cost of living and high quality of life, No. 1 Vienna is the last truly affordable city in Europe.
We hope that this article will help you decide which of these two cities will be much better for you to choose to live in. If you still consider moving to Vienna or London please contact MyCheapRemovals. We are here to help you!