Frankfurt vs Vienna
Salary equivalence calculator
Price-level ratio 0.971. Adjust to recalculate.
| Metric | Frankfurt | Vienna | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price level index (NYC=100) | 70.0 | 68.0 | -2.9% |
| Rent index (NYC=100) | 55.0 | 48.0 | -12.7% |
| Equivalent of €120,000 | €120,000 | €116,571 | cheaper |
- Vienna is about 3% cheaper than Frankfurt, so the same lifestyle costs less.
How far does your salary go in Vienna?
Moving from Frankfurt to Vienna changes your cost of living in ways a currency conversion can't capture. What matters is purchasing power: how much the same basket of housing, food, transport and services costs in each place. On our index, where New York City = 100, Frankfurt sits at 70.0 and Vienna at 68.0.
That makes Vienna roughly 3% cheaper. A salary of €120,000 in Frankfurt translates to about €116,571 in Vienna. Above that and you gain in real terms; below it and you take an effective pay cut.
Housing drives the gap
Rent is the largest and most variable line in most budgets. Vienna's rent index is 48.0 versus Frankfurt's 55.0.
Common mistakes
- Converting currency instead of purchasing power.
- Ignoring taxes, which vary by jurisdiction.
- Forgetting one-off relocation costs.
Bottom line
Vienna is about 3% cheaper than Frankfurt, so the same lifestyle costs less. Use the calculator to plug in your real salary and compare against any concrete offer.
Rent equivalence: Frankfurt vs Vienna
Based on the rent-index ratio of 0.873 (Frankfurt 55.0 vs Vienna 48.0, NYC = 100).
Housing is usually the biggest single difference between two cities, and it moves independently of the overall price level. Renting the equivalent home in Vienna costs about 13% less than in Frankfurt. Enter your actual rent above to see what a like-for-like place would cost after you move — a more honest gauge of affordability than a raw salary conversion, since renters and owners feel very different impacts.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do I need in Vienna to match Frankfurt?
To keep the same standard of living as €120,000 in Frankfurt, you would need roughly €116,571 in Vienna, a price-level ratio of 0.97.
Is Vienna more expensive than Frankfurt?
No, it is about 3% cheaper overall.
How much is rent in Vienna compared to Frankfurt?
Rent in Vienna is about 13% lower than in Frankfurt (rent indices 55.0 vs 48.0, NYC = 100). Use the rent calculator on this page for your exact figure.
How is the equivalent salary calculated?
We multiply your salary by the ratio of the two cities' composite price-level indices (housing, food, transport, services), benchmarked so New York City = 100.
Methodology
We build a composite price-level index for each city from official regional price parities and international purchasing-power parities across housing, food, transport and services, normalized so New York City = 100. The equivalent salary is your salary multiplied by the ratio of the destination index to the origin index. It estimates the income needed to hold real purchasing power constant and does not model taxes.