Researched by ExpatMoneyEU Team · Last updated 26 October 2026 · Data: illustrative planning figures, October 2026 (see methodology)
The short answer
The short answer: Vienna is cheaper than Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich and Dublin in our illustrative single-person model — about €1,850/month all-in against Berlin’s €1,950 and Amsterdam’s €2,200 — while Lisbon (€1,450) and Madrid (€1,550) are cheaper still. Change the cities below to compare your own shortlist; every figure is an illustrative planning estimate, not a quote.
| Monthly cost | Vienna | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed, outside centre) | ||
| Food & groceries | ||
| Transport pass | ||
| Utilities & internet | ||
| Leisure & other | ||
| Total per month |
Key fact for expats in Austria
Vienna was named the world’s most liveable city in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index in 2022, 2023 and 2024 — one reason expats compare its costs so carefully against Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris before signing a lease.
What this tool does
This tool compares the illustrative monthly budget of a single expat in two European cities, broken into rent, food, transport, utilities and leisure. It is a planning model, not a price survey: use it to rank cities and size your salary ask, then verify real rents on local listing sites before you commit.
How to use it
- Pick your city (A) — where you live now or plan to move.
- Pick a comparison city (B) — your alternative shortlist city.
- Read the gap — the headline shows the monthly difference and the table shows where it comes from.
- Copy the link to share the exact comparison with a partner or employer.
The formula
Total monthly cost = rent (46%) + food (22%) + transport (5%) + utilities (12%) + leisure (15%) of the city’s illustrative single-person total. The shares are fixed so cities compare like-for-like; only the city total changes. Example: Vienna’s €1,850 total breaks down as rent €851 + food €407 + transport €93 + utilities €222 + leisure €278 (rounding may shift totals by a euro or two).
Worked example
Example: Vienna vs Berlin. Vienna’s illustrative single-person total is €1,850/month; Berlin’s is €1,950/month. The gap is €100/month — €1,200/year — driven mostly by rent. A job offer in Berlin should therefore pay roughly €100/month more after tax just to stand still, before any quality-of-life judgment.
Comparison table
| City | Illustrative single-person total / month | vs Vienna |
|---|---|---|
| Vienna | €1,850 | baseline |
| Berlin | €1,950 | +€100 |
| Amsterdam | €2,200 | +€350 |
| Paris | €2,300 | +€450 |
| Madrid | €1,550 | −€300 |
| Lisbon | €1,450 | −€400 |
| Rome | €1,700 | −€150 |
| Barcelona | €1,600 | −€250 |
| Munich | €2,100 | +€250 |
| Dublin | €2,350 | +€500 |
Illustrative planning figures for a single person, October 2026. They are model estimates for comparison, not measured prices — verify rents and transport costs locally before deciding.
→ Expat Relocation Budget Planner — October 2026
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, which helps keep our guides free. We never rank providers by commission. See our affiliate disclosure for details.
Comparing cities is step one — moving money between them is step two. Wise is the service most expats use for cheap international transfers, and flexible expat health cover matters when you are between contracts.
ExpatMoneyEU verdict: Vienna beats Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich and Dublin on illustrative single-person costs — but Lisbon and Madrid beat Vienna. Pick on total package: salary, rent and lifestyle, not rent alone.
You may also need
→ Expat Relocation Budget Planner — October 2026
Sources and methodology
Methodology: city totals are illustrative planning estimates set by the ExpatMoneyEU Research Team for October 2026, structured so cities compare like-for-like (fixed category shares). They are not drawn from a single published index and must not be quoted as measured data. For real-world checks, cross-reference Numbeo-style crowdsourced indexes and local rental listings, and verify all figures with local providers before deciding.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, which helps keep our guides free. We never rank providers by commission. See our affiliate disclosure for details.
Once you have picked your city, budget the move itself with our relocation planner — and keep Wise and SafetyWing in mind for transfers and cover while you relocate.