Austria’s published price level was 85% of the United States in 2023, so overall prices ran lower than in the US. That comparison gives a broad cost picture for studying there, but it does not break out what you will spend on day-to-day student life.
Price level, against the United States
85%
A basket of goods costing $100 in the United States costs about
$85 in Austria, at market exchange rates.
This is a whole-economy average from the World Bank (2023),
not a student budget — rent near a university and a student's own habits move it a long way in both directions.
The 85% figure is a general price-level measure. It helps you compare Austria with the United States at a high level, but it does not tell you what a room, a meal plan, or a monthly pass will cost in a specific city or campus setting.
For a student budget, the biggest swing factors are usually the costs tied to where you live and how you get around. Those vary more than the overall national price level, so they are the parts to check first when you compare universities and cities.
Austria has 46 universities, including Webster University, Vienna; Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien; Universität für Bodenkultur Wien; Donau-Universität Krems; Fachhochschule Burgenland; and Fachhochschulstudiengänge Hagenberg. The country also has a GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity of 62,969 US dollars.
If you are planning a move for study, use the price-level comparison as a starting point and then look closely at the costs attached to your chosen university and city. The Student Visa (Visa D) is the visa named for study in Austria.
