The blog
Austria, from the inside.
Paperwork, daily life, neighbourhoods, budget, culture: everything we wish we had known before unpacking.
Taxes in Austria for new residents: income tax, 14 salaries and your return
Taxes in Austria for new residents: 2026 income tax brackets from 0% to 55%, wage tax withholding, the annual return, tax treaties and ORF charges.
7 min readPaperworkTax number in Austria: Steuernummer, social security number and e-card
Tax number in Austria: employees do not apply for one, the self-employed ask the Finanzamt with Verf 24. How the social security number and e-card work.
7 min readFamily and workSchools in Austria for expat children: Kindergarten, Volksschule and options
Schools in Austria: nine years of compulsory school, free public schools, a compulsory Kindergarten year, enrolment, German support, international options.
7 min readBudgetRetire in Austria: pensions, S1 health cover and tax
Retire in Austria with a pension from another EU country: S1 health cover, proof of means, who taxes your pension, Austrian pension age and rules.
7 min readWhere to liveRenting in Austria: Richtwertmiete, Kaution and agent fees
Renting in Austria: which flats have capped rents, the 5-year minimum for professional landlords from 2026, the deposit, agent fees and how to give notice.
6 min readPaperworkOpening a bank account in Austria: Girokonto, Basiskonto and IBAN
Bank account in Austria: ID and Meldebestätigung, your right to a Basiskonto within 10 working days for at most €83.45 a year, and mortgage basics.
6 min readPaperworkMoving to Austria: the step-by-step guide to your first weeks
Moving to Austria as an EU citizen: Meldezettel in 3 days, Anmeldebescheinigung within 4 months, e-card, bank, ID Austria. The right order.
7 min readPaperworkMoving to Austria from the UK after Brexit: what you need now
Moving to Austria from the UK: Article 50 titles for pre-2021 residents, the national permit route for new arrivals, S1 cover, licences and school rights.
7 min readPaperworkMeldezettel: how to register your address in Austria
Meldezettel in Austria: register within 3 days of moving in, get your landlord's signature, collect the Meldebestätigung and avoid a fine of up to €726.
7 min readHealthHealth insurance in Austria for expats: ÖGK, SVS and the e-card
Health insurance in Austria: employees are covered from day one, the self-employed join the SVS, retirees use an S1, others pay about €565 a month in 2026.
7 min readFamily and workFreelance in Austria: Gewerbe, Neue Selbständige, SVS and VAT
Freelance in Austria: pick Gewerbe, Neue Selbständige or a liberal profession, register with the SVS and Finanzamt, 2026 costs and the VAT limit.
7 min readPaperworkDriving in Austria: licence, car registration and the vignette
Driving in Austria: EU licences stay valid, UK and Swiss ones need exchange in 6 months, NoVA tax, a month to register your car, vignette €106.80.
7 min readDaily lifeDaily life in Austria: shop hours, recycling, language and manners
Daily life in Austria: Sunday closing, 13 public holidays, recycling and deposit rules, Austrian German, emergency numbers and workplace basics.
6 min readBudgetCost of living in Austria: what the official figures say
Cost of living in Austria from official sources: reference rents by province, payroll deductions, health cover, vignette, ORF fee and Kindergarten.
6 min readWhere to liveBuying property in Austria as a foreigner: Länder rules, taxes and costs
Buying property in Austria: EU citizens need no special permit, but each Land limits second homes. Grunderwerbsteuer 3.5%, Grundbuch 1.1%, the steps.
7 min readWhere to liveBest places to live in Austria for expats: Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Linz
Best places to live in Austria for expats: Vienna, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Linz compared on rent levels, second-home rules, housing and support.
7 min readPaperworkAnmeldebescheinigung: the EU registration certificate in Austria
Anmeldebescheinigung in Austria: apply in person within 4 months, €44, documents for workers, students and retirees, and permanent residence after 5 years.
6 min readYour move, one step at a time.
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