Ready To Move Abroad?
Get 5 Quotes In Just 3 Easy Steps
Network of 500+ movers
150,000 moves annually

Moving to Austria

The Complete Relocation Guide

Featured image

Looking for help with your move to Austria from the UK? You’ve come to the right place! While we may be jealous of your international removal to Austria, which is such a beautiful alpine country, we want to help! So, read Sirelo’s expert guide to learn more about moving costs as well as living and working in the Musical Centre of the Europe. You might even pick up a few hints, tricks, and free removal quotes along the way!

Cost of Moving to Austria from the UK

Moving to Austria is a big step for anyone as it requires a lot of planning and budgeting. An international removal may seem daunting, but we’re here to tell you don’t worry! So, let’s jump into the cost of removals from the UK to Austria! 😊

Moving country can be stressful because of how expensive it can get. Thus, before looking at the estimated prices for removals to Austria, you might be interested in reading our page on international moving costs. This way, you know what to expect and might even save on your move!

Below you can find the estimated costs of moving to Austria from London by road. It’s important to remember this is only an average based on past removals.

Size of HouseholdTimeCost
1 bed flat9-12 days£1,700 – £2,600
3 bed house2-4 days£2,850 – £4,100
5 bed house2-4 days£4,700 – £6,600

Why does a 1-bed flat take longer? Well, this is due to such a small move being more commonly completed with a shared container. Therefore, your belongings will have to wait for others before they are moved and unpacked.

Removals to Austria

Planning to move from the UK to Austria? Take a look at the 3 best international removal companies in the UK to move to Austria:

1. Legend Removals

2. Mercia Movers & Storers

3. Abels Moving Services

Request Quotes for Your Removal to Austria!

Unfortunately, removal companies won’t come knocking at your door. However, finding a company to help with removals from the UK to Austria can be time-consuming and even more so if you want to compare and save money.

That’s where Sirelo comes in! You can request and receive up to 5 quotes for removals to Austria. It’s quick and easy so you can start comparing removals companies within the day. Just click below and get your removal to Austria started.

Want to calculate the cost of your move to Austria?
Request up to five free moving quotes to do so!

Checklist for Moving to Austria

Planning is key when it comes to a successful international removal to Austria. With some planning, you avoid unwanted surprises in your moving journey. Hence, we’ve created this moving to Austria checklist. Additionally, you can use our moving abroad checklist for more general advice on moving!

Before You Go:

✔️ Visas

Are you a holder of an EU or EEA passport? Great news, you don’t need a visa to move to Austria. However, you will need to register your address within 3 days of arrival!

Unfortunately, if you’re moving to Austria after Brexit as a UK citizen, non-EU or non-EEA national, then you’ll need a visa to move to Austria. You will need to meet the Austrian government’s entry requirements and apply for permanent residency.

For more information, check out the UK Government’s guidance for living in Austria or read our Moving to Europe After Brexit blog for more advice about your move to Austria.

✔️ Important Documents

Before you up and leave, there are some key documents that you might want to locate or prepare. Preparing them early will save you a lot of time later on, and having time later is always for the best. Finally, keep them in a safe place and maybe even duplicate them:

  • Passport
  • Residency Permit
  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Medical Documentation (including dental and immunizations)
  • University Degree(s)
  • Police Records

✔️ Choosing a Removal Company

If you intend to move with most of your household belongings, finding a removal company to help you move to Austria should be a priority. When choosing, you should consider using one of the top international removal companies in the UK.

✔️ Packing

If there’s one part of removals from the UK to Austria that you can’t forget, it’s packing. You don’t want to leave all your prized possessions behind, nor should you! For help, you can read our expert guide on packing, it’s sure to help.

✔️ Taxes

Unless you want to be taxed in the UK and Austria, you need to inform HM Revenue and Customs that you’re moving abroad. On the subject of taxes in Austria, our advice is to seek professional advice.

✔️ Pets

If you want to bring your pet with you when you move to Austria, ensure that they meet the following requirements:

  • Vaccinations up to date
  • Microchipped
  • Certificate of vaccination against rabies
  • General certificate of health

Moving to Austria

After You Arrive:

✔️ Register Your Address

When you finally arrive in Austria, you likely want to start unpacking and setting up. However, before you get to enjoy your new surroundings, you should register your address as soon as possible. It’s required that you do so within 3 days of your arrival!

✔️ Healthcare

With compulsory health insurance, as soon as you start working in Austria, you are covered through the deductions from your salary. However, public health insurance isn’t comprehensive. Thus, you may want private health insurance, to cover additional costs or use private healthcare.

You can always read more about healthcare in Austria so you’re well prepared.

✔️ Driving in Austria

With well-maintained roads and excellent scenic routes, driving in Austria is an excellent choice to get around the country. There are some regulations that you will need to consider first though:

  • You will need an international driver’s licence
  • Drivers must have a reflective safety vest in their car at all times
  • For motorcyclists, wearing helmets are mandatory and the dimmed headlight must be turned on even during the day

✔️ Banking

If you don’t like conversion fees and want to easily visit your bank, then opening a local bank account would be a wise decision. To help, we’ve listed a few of the big Austrian banks so you can plan ahead:

✔️ Learning German

Sprechen sie Deutsch? Well, the Austrians do and if you want to integrate, then you should too! You might want to consider taking lessons before you move to Austria, however, there’s nothing quite like immersion learning to pick up a language quickly!

Living in Austria

A removal to Austria is one thing but living in the alpine country is another. To prepare you for life at a high altitude, let’s look at the cost of living in Austria and finding a job.

Costs of Living in Austria

The living costs in Austria are higher than in its neighbour Germany, but it does vary from region to region. Below are some figures where you can see that it’s fairly similar to the UK:

MetricUKAustria
1-bed flat city centre£750£625
3-bed house city centre£1,250£1,175
Basic monthly utilities£156£175
Cappuccino£2.75£2.70
1L of milk£0.90£0.95
0.5L of draught beer£3.75£3.33
1L of gasoline£1.27£1.02

Austrian Life

Apart from the obvious differences such as language and climate, what are the main differences and similarities in comparison to the UK? Well if you want to remain in a strong economy then Austria is a safe bet. It’s geographical location in the middle of Europe gains the country many advantages in terms of the economy but also provides a great opportunity for expats to travel around nearby neighbouring countries. Whether you are wanting some tasty goulash from Hungary or some hearty beer from Germany, the borders are easily hopped.

As previously mentioned the language and climate are also different to what we are used to in the UK. The seasons can almost be described as perfect; hot summers and snowy winters, I mean what else can you ask for? But where you are located within the country will also determine your exact climates experienced.

Culture in Austria

Austrians are generally open and welcoming towards foreigners, and expats are unlikely to face any major problems fitting in. But it is important to know the cultural differences in terms of respecting their country.

For starters, learning basic German will give you a good start. Although not as common in older populations, English is widely spoken in the main cities and picking up the language while living in the country will be a lot easier than you think. Use apps such as google translate or check out some language courses to help you get to grips with the language.

Housing in Austria: Buy or Rent

Most people in Austria live in rented accommodation, this is especially more common in the city centres. Therefore the competition to find your perfect apartment can be a bit tricky. Most people looking to rent an apartment start their search online, in the classified section of local and regional newspapers, or by contacting local estate agents. Below is some price guides for rented apartments:

Apartment size and locationPrice
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre£663.39
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre£1,396.72
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre£453.31
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre£921.22

Rental prices are around 60% cheaper in comparison to the UK, meaning you can live like a King or Queen and still be in an excellent location next to all the delights of the centre. Similarly to most countries, living in the city centre as shown above is more expensive than if you are to live in a rural area. The public transport is also excellent which means living slightly outside the centre, if price is an issue, is not a problem.

Below is a list of popular online websites to find apartments:

Working in Austria

Austria is one of the countries with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union at 5.7% in 2017. So, working in Austria does look appealing! However, it can be hard to find a job in Austria, especially if you don’t speak the language. So, if you’re moving to Austria without a job waiting for you, it’s best to brush up on your German skills and have a look online for job opportunities.

Below are some online portals you can use:

Moving to Austria

Ready to Move to Austria?

Phew! You’ve made it to the end. We hope that the path to your move to Austria is clearer, and what an exciting move it will be. Austria has so much more to offer than its stunning natural beauty and access to ski slopes, as you’ll find out after you move.

Before you head off, while we’ve covered a lot about removals to Austria, there are other aspects that we haven’t even broached. Goodness, there’s so much to know. So, just follow one of the links below and you’ll be on a learning journey. And before you know it, you’ll be a fully-fledged moving expert!

Finally, we just want to say good luck with your move. We know it’ll go swimmingly! 😊