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Austria vs Germany
Germany is {pct} {word} than Austria. Compare cost of living, taxes, salaries and visas — and the salary you’d need in Germany to match Austria.
Austria vs Germany at a glance — Germany is 15% more expensive than Austria overall. Average net salary: $2,900/mo vs $2,400/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 55%.
| Austria | Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Cost of living index | 97 | 111 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 55% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 20% | 19% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 20% |
| Corporate tax | 23% | 30% |
| Capital gains | 27.5% | 26.4% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,400/mo | $2,900/mo |
| Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP) | $78,301✓ | $76,285✓ |
| Minimum wage | — | $2,716/mo✓ |
| GDP per capita | $56,505✓ | $60,496✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 3%✓ | 2.2%✓ |
| Life expectancy | 82 yr✓ | 81 yr✓ |
| Quality of life | ||
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
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? Frequently asked questions
Is Austria cheaper than Germany?
Germany is about 15% more expensive than Austria overall — its cost-of-living index is 111 versus 97 for Austria.
How much do you need to earn in Germany to live like in Austria?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Austria is worth about $86,514 in Germany. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Austria or Germany?
Germany has the lower top income-tax rate — 45% versus 55% in Austria.