🔑 Finding a flat
Find a flat in Austria in 2026: rents per m², Vienna council and cooperative housing, deposits, broker fees, tenant rights and scam warnings.
Renting a flat in Austria: key numbers
The figures you need before you start looking. Updated November 2026.
Once you have a flat, register your address within 3 days. Our guide to registering your address shows you how. To see what rent means for your full monthly budget, read cost of living in Austria.
Private, cooperative or council flat?
Austria has a large subsidised housing sector. In Vienna, Statistik Austria counts 25.9 % of main rental flats as council flats and 28.7 % as cooperative flats (Mikrozensus 2025). As a newcomer you will most likely start on the private market.
Private rental
Flats rented from private owners or companies. Fastest to get, highest rent. In Q2 2026 the average net rent was €8.5/m² in pre-1945 buildings and €10.7/m² in newer ones (Statistik Austria, existing leases).
Genossenschaft (cooperative)
Non-profit housing associations build and rent flats. You usually pay a one-off Finanzierungsbeitrag (Eigenmittel = own funds contribution). You get it back when you move out, minus 1 % for each year. Average net rent: €6.5/m².
Gemeindebau (council flat)
Flats owned by the city. In Vienna they are run by Wiener Wohnen. Average net rent: €5.7/m². In Vienna you need a Wiener Wohn-Ticket first.
WG (shared flat)
A Wohngemeinschaft (WG) is a flat you share with others. Each person rents a room, often as a sublet (Untermiete). A good option for your first months while you look for your own place.
Who gets a Wiener Wohn-Ticket?
- You are at least 17 (you sign a lease from 18).
- You have had your main residence in Vienna for 2 years without a break. A secondary residence does not count.
- You are an Austrian, EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, a recognised refugee, or you hold a „Daueraufenthalt EU“ permit.
- Your net household income is below the limit: €61,280 a year for 1 person, €91,320 for 2, €103,330 for 3, €115,360 for 4 (2026).
- For a council flat you also need a justified housing need, for example an overcrowded flat or a new household.
How to get a cooperative flat
- Register: sign up with several cooperatives or on the Wohnberatung Wien portal. Waiting lists are long.
- Check the Eigenmittel: the one-off contribution depends on the age, size and location of the flat. Ask before you apply.
- Check eligibility: income limits apply and the flat must be your main residence. Rules differ by federal state.
- Ask about help: in Vienna an Eigenmittelersatzdarlehen (loan to replace own funds) may be available.
How much does a flat cost per m²?
New listings cost far more than the average existing lease. Plan your budget with the asking rent, because that is what you will pay as a newcomer.
| City | Asking rent (gross, median) | Change vs 2025 | Example: 60 m² flat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna | €22.45/m² | +10 % | about €1,350 |
| Graz | €15.15/m² | +11 % | about €910 |
| Linz | €15.51/m² | −4 % | about €930 |
| Salzburg | €21.96/m² | −1 % | about €1,320 |
| Innsbruck | €24.23/m² | −6 % | about €1,450 |
Source: ImmoScout24 listing data, 1 January to 30 April 2026, published 21 May 2026. Gross rent means base rent plus Betriebskosten (running costs), without heating and electricity. The 60 m² examples are our own rounded calculation.
For comparison: the average Austrian lease (old and new contracts) cost €10.5/m² including running costs in Q2 2026, according to Statistik Austria (Mikrozensus). That number is lower because it includes council, cooperative and long-running private leases.
Where to find flats in Austria
Most flats are listed online. Good flats in Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck go within days, so set up alerts and reply fast.
willhaben.at
Austria’s biggest classifieds site. Many private landlords and agents list here. Set a search alert with your district and budget.
ImmoScout24.at
Large portal with mostly agent listings. Good filters for size, rooms and fixed or open-ended contracts.
derStandard Immobilien
The property section of the newspaper Der Standard. Strong for Vienna listings.
Facebook groups
Groups for WG rooms, sublets and expats in Vienna, Graz and other cities. Useful for short-term rooms, but scams are common here.
How to spot a rental scam
- The landlord asks you to pay before you have seen the flat.
- The landlord says they live abroad and will send the keys by post.
- The rent is far below the market and the photos show luxury furniture.
- You only get an anonymous email address and no phone number.
- You get a payment link to a page that looks like Airbnb or a booking site.
- You are asked to pay by money transfer service or to a foreign account.
Your rights as a tenant
The Mietrechtsgesetz (MRG = Tenancy Act) protects most tenants. How much it protects you depends on when the building was built and when your contract was signed.
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Richtwertmiete (reference rent) | Caps the net base rent for most flats in older buildings (usually built before 1945) let after 1 March 1994. The Vienna value is €6.74/m² from 1 April 2026. Landlords may add surcharges, for example for location or a lift. |
| Kategoriemiete (category rent) | Applies to older contracts. Category A (best standard) is €4.51/m², B €3.38, C €2.25 from 1 April 2026. |
| Rent increases | Regulated rents could rise by max 1 % on 1 April 2026 and may rise by max 2 % on 1 April 2027. For other leases, from 2026 index increases happen once a year on 1 April. Above 3 % inflation, only half of the extra can be passed on. |
| Fixed-term contracts | Minimum 5 years if the landlord is a business (since 1 January 2026), minimum 3 years for private landlords. A shorter term makes the contract open-ended. |
| Leaving early | On a fixed-term contract you can give notice after 1 year, with 3 months‘ notice to the end of a month. The earliest end is after 16 months. |
| Betriebskosten (running costs) | Water, waste, building insurance, cleaning, caretaker and property tax. Shared among tenants and paid monthly with the rent. You get a yearly statement. |
| Ablöse (key money) | A payment just for getting the flat is forbidden for MRG leases. Paying the old tenant a fair price for furniture or a kitchen is allowed. You can reclaim illegal payments through the Schlichtungsstelle (rent arbitration board). |
General information, not legal advice. The MRG has full, partial and no application depending on the building. Get advice on your specific contract.
Deposit, broker fee and fees
Plan for about 3–4 monthly rents in cash when you sign: the deposit, the first rent and money for furniture or a kitchen.
Deposit (Kaution)
- 3 gross monthly rents is common. Gross means base rent plus running costs plus 10 % VAT.
- Courts usually accept up to 6 gross monthly rents. Above that, the landlord needs a special reason.
- The landlord must keep a cash deposit in an interest-bearing savings account, separate from their own money.
- You get it back with interest when you move out, minus real damage. Normal wear is not damage.
- Take dated photos and sign a handover protocol (Übergabeprotokoll) when you move in and out.
Broker fee (Maklerprovision)
- Since 1 July 2023 the Bestellerprinzip (who orders, pays) applies. If the landlord hired the agent, you pay nothing.
- You only pay if you hired the agent yourself.
- Then the max is 2 gross monthly rents for open-ended contracts or terms over 3 years, plus 20 % VAT.
- For terms up to 3 years the max is 1 gross monthly rent, plus VAT.
- Do not pay „processing“ or „contract fees“. They are not allowed.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Documents and viewings
Have your documents ready as one PDF before the first viewing. Landlords often pick the first complete application.
What landlords ask for
- Passport or ID card
- Your last 3 payslips or proof of income
- Employment contract or job offer letter
- Residence permit if you are not an EU citizen (see residence permits)
- Meldezettel (registration form) if you already live in Austria
- Sometimes a credit report from KSV1870 or a reference from your previous landlord
- An Austrian bank account for rent and deposit (see banking in Austria)
At the viewing
- Ask for the total: base rent, running costs, VAT, heating. Ask what the gross rent is.
- Ask about the contract: fixed term or open-ended, and how long.
- Check the heating: gas, district heating (Fernwärme) or heat pump. This changes your monthly costs.
- Check the kitchen: many flats come without one. Ask if the old tenant sells it.
- Check the energy certificate (Energieausweis). The landlord must show it.
- Ask for the land register extract if you have any doubt about the owner.
Setting up electricity, gas and internet
Running costs in your rent do not cover electricity, and often not heating. You sign these contracts yourself.
- Read the meters: on the day you move in, photograph the electricity and gas meters and note the numbers.
- Compare tariffs: use the free Tarifkalkulator of E-Control, the energy regulator. Prices differ a lot.
- Sign with a supplier: give your meter reading and start date. In Vienna, Wien Energie is the local supplier, but you can choose any supplier.
- No power yet? Book a first switch-on (Ersteinschaltung) with the grid operator. You or the owner must be there with photo ID. This costs a fee.
- District heating: many Vienna flats use Fernwärme. You may need an appointment for the meter reading.
- Internet: compare fixed lines and mobile routers. Check which lines reach your building before you sign.
- ORF-Beitrag: every household with a main residence pays the public broadcasting fee of €15.30 a month (2026). Vienna adds no regional surcharge.
Can foreigners buy a flat in Austria?
Each federal state has its own law on property purchases by foreigners (Grundverkehr). The rules depend on your citizenship.
EU and EEA citizens
You buy on the same terms as Austrians. You need no special approval for foreigners.
Non-EU citizens
You usually need approval from the state’s property transfer authority (Grundverkehrsbehörde). It checks if the purchase serves a social, economic or cultural interest, for example your own housing need. Citizens of some countries need no approval because of bilateral treaties. In Vienna the fee is €76.30 per applicant, plus federal fees.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
Useful German words for flat hunting
Listings and contracts are in German. These words come up all the time.
| German | English | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Mietvertrag | rental contract | When you sign |
| befristet / unbefristet | fixed-term / open-ended | Reading the listing |
| Bruttomiete | gross rent (rent + running costs + VAT) | Comparing offers |
| Betriebskosten (BK) | running costs | Reading the listing |
| Kaution | deposit | Before you sign |
| Provision | broker fee | Agent listings |
| provisionsfrei | no broker fee | Filtering listings |
| Ablöse | payment for furniture or kitchen | Taking over a flat |
| Besichtigung | viewing | Booking an appointment |
| Altbau / Neubau | old building / new building | Reading the listing |
| Zimmer / Wohnfläche | rooms / living area | Filtering listings |
| Übergabeprotokoll | handover protocol | Moving in and out |
In Austrian listings, the room count includes the living room but not the kitchen or bathroom. A „2-Zimmer-Wohnung“ has one bedroom and one living room.
Common questions about renting in Austria
How much is rent in Vienna in 2026?
New listings in Vienna cost a median of €22.45 per m² gross (base rent plus running costs, without heating and electricity) in January to April 2026, according to ImmoScout24. A 60 m² flat costs about €1,350 a month.
How much deposit can a landlord ask for in Austria?
3 gross monthly rents is common. Courts usually accept up to 6 gross monthly rents. The landlord must keep the deposit in an interest-bearing account and return it with interest when you move out.
Do I have to pay a broker fee when renting in Austria?
Usually not. Since 1 July 2023 the person who hires the agent pays. If you hired the agent yourself, the fee is capped at 2 gross monthly rents plus VAT, or 1 gross monthly rent for terms up to 3 years.
What is the minimum length of a fixed-term rental contract in Austria?
Since 1 January 2026 it is 5 years if the landlord is a business and 3 years if the landlord is a private person. After 1 year you can give 3 months‘ notice to the end of a month.
What is the Richtwert in Vienna in 2026?
From 1 April 2026 the Vienna Richtwert is €6.74 per m² net base rent. It applies to most flats in older buildings and landlords may add surcharges, for example for location.
Can I get a council flat in Vienna as a foreigner?
You need a Wiener Wohn-Ticket. For that you need 2 years of continuous main residence in Vienna, an income below the limit, and EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship, refugee status or a Daueraufenthalt EU permit.
Do I pay a contract fee for a rental contract in Austria?
No. Residential leases signed after 11 November 2017 are exempt from the Mietvertragsgebühr. Landlords and agents may not charge processing or contract fees either.
Can a non-EU citizen buy a flat in Austria?
Usually yes, with approval from the property transfer authority of the federal state. EU and EEA citizens need no approval. In Vienna the approval fee is €76.30 per applicant plus federal fees.
- Statistik Austria: Wohnen Q2 2026, average rents (Mikrozensus)
- Statistik Austria: Wohnen 2025, share of tenancy types by state
- Statistik Austria: Richtwerte from 1 April 2026
- ÖVI: Richtwerte and Kategoriebeträge from 1 April 2026
- ImmoScout24: Rents in state capitals, May 2026
- oesterreich.gv.at: Fixed-term rental contracts
- oesterreich.gv.at: Deposit (Kaution)
- oesterreich.gv.at: Broker fee and Bestellerprinzip
- oesterreich.gv.at: Cooperative flats
- Mieterhilfe Wien: Costs when renting, Ablöse, contract fee
- Wohnberatung Wien: Wiener Wohn-Ticket 2026
- Deloitte Austria: 2026 rent law changes
- WKO: Fees on rental contracts
- AK Wien: Rental scams online
- oesterreich.gv.at: Electricity and gas when moving
- oesterreich.gv.at: Property purchase by non-EU citizens
- oesterreich.gv.at: Property purchase by EU and EEA citizens
- finanzinfo.at: ORF-Beitrag 2026
Rules change. Check the official source before you apply.