Austria

Austria

Western Europe

EuropeEUSchengen
76
Overall score
Strong overall · 96% data coverage
Language
German
Currency
EUR
Citizenship
10 years
Personal tax
Progressive, up to 55% for very high incomes
Cost of living
€1,900 / mo (single)
Overall scoring rubric
71
Access

How easy it is to get in, stay, and build status.

17% of Overall
88Residence12%
30Citizenship and passport5%
74
Earning power

How far local income goes after prices.

25% of Overall
70Salary and work12%
77Buying power13%
58
Business and wealth

How friendly the country is for taxes, companies, and investing.

20% of Overall
42Taxes7%
81Business8%
43Investment5%
89
Daily life

How comfortable everyday life is for families and long stays.

25% of Overall
89Quality of life18%
89Education7%
92
Rights and institutions

How reliable freedoms and institutions are.

13% of Overall
93Freedom6%
92Rule of law7%

Safety (81) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Healthcare (97) clears the 40 floor, so no penalty applies.

Environment (93) clears the 35 floor, so no penalty applies.

Rights and institutions (92) clears the 30 floor, so no penalty applies.

Overall score
Final weighted result
76

A high-tax EU and Schengen member with a top-tier passport, world-class universities and a startup visa, but a long 10-year naturalisation wait and no dual citizenship.

Pros

  • A top-tier passport
  • World-class universities
  • A startup visa

Cons

  • A long 10-year naturalisation wait
  • No dual citizenship

Best for

FoundersStudents

Score profile

Access
Residence
88
Citizenship
18
Passport
96
Earning power
Salary & work
70
Buying power
77
Cost of living
43
Economy
74
Business and wealth
Taxes
42
Personal tax
0
Corporate tax
34
Business
81
Investment
43
Wealth building
57
Daily life
Safety
81
Healthcare
97
Environment
93
Infrastructure
86
Education
89
HDI
93
Rights and institutions
Freedom
93
Rule of law
92

Access

Residence

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any residence / visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Openness to residents
Excellent
88
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines international migrant stock (40%), regulatory quality (20%), the breadth of named residence pathways (25%), and time to permanent residence (15%). Available indicators are reweighted.

Migrant stock25.5% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality1.35 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible
StudentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
WorkRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employedRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
PermanentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Citizenship

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any citizenship decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Citizenship accessibility
Low
18
Years required10 years
Dual allowedfalse
LanguageCheck the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
ResidenceTypical headline route: 10 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
NotesRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Passport

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any travel or visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Passport power
Excellent
96

Passport-index style mobility for the Austria passport. The score above is its world reach: the share of 198 destinations reachable without a prior visa.

191 / 198
Mobility
#4
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free144
  • On arrival38
  • eTA9
  • Visa required7

Passport Index style mobility data (2024–2025 estimate). Placeholder figures; verify current entry rules with each destination’s authority before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Good
70
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines output per worker (a proxy for wage potential at 40%), unemployment (35%) and labour-force participation (25%). Available indicators are reweighted; the curated profile fields remain below.

Output per worker$129,651 PPP (2024)
Unemployment5.6% (2025)
Participation60.1% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$4,726 · $6,060 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$5,994 · $7,686 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceMarket access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job marketUse current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
77
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score estimates how far money goes for the typical person here. It combines GNI per capita at PPP (30%) and actual household consumption per person at PPP (15%) with a price-advantage term from the local price level (25%) that rewards lower prices, then adjusts for income equality via the Gini index (20%), so unequal economies don't ride a high average, plus price stability via consumer inflation (10%). Available indicators are reweighted; it is a comparison, not a personal budget estimate.

GNI / person$77,010 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$37,350 PPP (2023)
Price level85 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality31.2 Gini (2023)
Inflation3.5% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Limited
43

Our 0–100 affordability score is derived from the local consumer price level (World Bank, US = 100): the cheaper everyday prices are, the higher it scores. Lower price level means your money goes further here.

Price level85 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentVaries substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly€1,900 / mo (single)
CitiesVienna, Graz, Salzburg
Economy
Economic strength
Good
74
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines income level (GDP and GNI per capita, output per worker), growth momentum (real GDP growth), price stability (inflation) and labour utilisation (unemployment). Available indicators are reweighted; the sector split and industry profile below are descriptive, not scored.

Output & income
GDP$579.5B (2025)
GDP / person$62,930 (2025)
GNI / person$77,010 PPP (2025)
GDP growth-0.7% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation3.5% / yr (2025)
Unemployment5.6% (2025)
Output per worker$129,651 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture1.3% of GDP (2025)
Industry24.0% of GDP (2025)
Services64.1% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Machinery & metalsAutomotive componentsTourismChemicalsBanking
Top exports
Machinery & vehiclesIron & steelPharmaceuticalsPaper
TypeHigh-income, industry- and services-led
Key sectorsIndustrial manufacturing, Alpine tourism, Banking in Central Europe
SummaryA wealthy Alpine economy combining specialised manufacturing with strong tourism and regional banking.
CurrencyEuro (eurozone member)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Tax friendliness
Limited
42
PersonalProgressive, up to 55% for very high incomes
Corporate23%
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Personal tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Personal tax
Low
0
PersonalProgressive, up to 55% for very high incomes
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Corporate tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Corporate tax
Limited
34
Corporate23%
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Business
Business friendliness
Excellent
81
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures the operating environment without counting tax a second time: company formation and ownership rules contribute 40%, regulatory quality 30%, and government effectiveness 30%. Available indicators are reweighted; the values are shown below.

Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality1.35 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness1.51 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign co.Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local co.Available company forms and capital requirements vary
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Investment

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any investment / tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Investing environment
Limited
43
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score measures market access without counting tax a second time: broker availability contributes 50%, equity-market depth 30%, and private credit depth 20%. Available indicators are reweighted.

Market cap36% of GDP (2025)
Private credit82% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxCheck current national and subnational rules
BrokersLocal and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax / investment decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Wealth accumulation
Moderate
57
How this score is calculated

How favourable Austria is for building wealth: earnings and business/investment upside, tax drag, and how much a typical income keeps after living costs. Estimated from the factors below.

Salary & work
Good
70
Business
Excellent
81
Investment
Limited
43
Tax friendliness
Limited
42
Cost of living
Limited
43

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Excellent
81
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines personal safety (intentional homicide rate at 50%), political stability and absence of violence (30%), and control of corruption (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below. Always check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Personal safety
Homicide rate0.9 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption1.29 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.49 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
97
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines health outcomes (life expectancy at 25% and under-5 mortality at 20%) with system capacity (physicians at 20% and hospital beds at 15% per 1,000 people) and health spending per capita (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below.

Outcomes
Life expectancy82.0 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality3.3 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians5.51 per 1,000 (2023)
Hospital beds6.70 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$8,250 PPP / person (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
InsuranceCheck residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Avg costDepends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
93
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines annual population-weighted PM2.5 exposure at 60% with freshwater stress at 40%. Lower exposure and lower water stress score better. Air quality alone can produce a score because it covers most countries; water stress alone cannot.

Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure10.0 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress8.7% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
86
How this score is calculated

The score combines digital access, resilience and download performance (30%), electricity access and network losses (30%), and transport infrastructure covering rail, logistics and aviation (40%). Available inputs are reweighted, but a country needs both digital and transport data to receive a score.

Digital infrastructure
Internet use91.9% (2025)
Internet resilience74 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed77 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed72 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses3.8% of output (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality3.90 / 5 (2022)
Rail density60.1 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity35,393 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
89
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines attainment (expected schooling at 30% and mean schooling at 25%) with participation (tertiary enrolment at 25%) and public investment (government education spending at 20%). Available indicators are reweighted; tuition and study rules remain separate profile fields below.

Attainment
Expected schooling16.3 years (2023)
Mean schooling12.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment93% gross (2024)
Education spending5.3% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionLow public fees for EU/EEA; about €1,500 / yr for many non-EU students
Public uniVaries by institution, programme, and student nationality
LanguagesGerman
Student workRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
93
How this score is calculated

The UN Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three dimension indices (a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living), shown on a 0–100 map scale (HDI × 100). The 2023 UNDP inputs behind each dimension are listed below.

HDI0.930 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy82.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling16.3 years (2023)
Mean schooling12.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$63,479 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
93
How this score is calculated

The score weights Freedom House’s 0–100 Freedom in the World score at 60% and its Freedom on the Net score at 40%. If either report does not cover a country, the available score is used alone. Scores of 70 and above are rated “Free”, 40–69 “Partly free”, and below 40 “Not free”.

Freedom in the World93 / 100 (Free)
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Excellent
92
How this score is calculated

The World Bank’s Rule of Law indicator captures how well contracts are enforced and how independent and effective the courts, police and property-rights regime are. We show its 0–100 percentile rank, where higher means stronger, more predictable institutions.

Rule of Law percentile92 / 100
Resources

Mock data for demonstration only. Not legal or tax advice.