How Much Does it Cost to go to Austria?

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Austria is one of the few countries in Europe that truly is an ideal year-round travel destination. Whether you are interested in strolling the streets of Vienna in the summer or skiing the slopes of the mountains in the Winter, Austria has plenty to offer to appeal to all types of travellers. But, just how much does it cost to go to Austria? Read on to find out.

For the purpose of this article, I’m going to suggest spending 1 week (7 days and 6 nights) in Austria. Please note that this guide is based on the costs of a single person travelling. If you are travelling as a couple, make sure to double these estimates (except for hotels).

Estimated cost
Airfare$800
Accommodations$900
Local transportation$150
Food and drink$330
Attractions$300
Random spending$100
Total$2,580 USD

The above estimate is in American dollars, so please use XE.com to find out the average costs in your home country.

If you’re Canadian, you may want to consider applying for one of the best travel credit cards in Canada to help offset your costs by collecting points. For example, the American Express Platinum Card gives you a generous welcome bonus that’s often worth more than $900 (potentially more if you transfer your points to Aeroplan or Marriott Bonvoy). There’s also the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite card that has no foreign transaction fees, and it comes with airport lounge access.   

Airfare

Flights to Austria from North America are fairly common and easy to find. After all, the Austrian capital, Vienna, is one of Europe’s most popular cities.

Due to the fact that Vienna really is a year-round destination, there aren’t necessarily going to be cheap airfare times. Summer will be the busiest and most expensive, but the month of December can be pretty pricey to thanks to the famous Christmas markets. That being said, shopping around early is always a good idea and will generally see better prices than leaving it until the last minute.

Accommodations

There’s a real mix of accommodation options in Austria which is ideal for those travelling on different budgets. However, those prices will fluctuate depending on the time of year and, of course, what city you are in. Also, it’s important to remember that Austria is a popular European country and is not considered to be cheap.

Hotels and hostels are easy to come by, but for those who are looking for something a little more upscale than a hostel, but perhaps cheaper than a hotel, consider looking at pensions. These guest houses are more common in smaller towns and in the countryside, but are similar to B&Bs and offer a cozy, more budget-friendly option.

For this article, I’m averaging the cost of a night in a mid-range hotel in Vienna which is approximately $150. Of course, you can do some research and find options both above and below this estimate.

Looking for some recommendations? Consider the following in Vienna and Salzburg.

Vienna

Hostel: Wombats City Hostel or H+ Hotel Wein
Mid-range: Art Hotel Vienna or Mercure Secession Wein
Luxury: Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere or The Ritz Carlton Vienna

Salzburg

Hostel: Sishaus or Stadtalm Naturfreundehaus
Mid-range: Goldenes Theater Hotel Salzburg or Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Salzburg
Luxury: Hotel Goldener Hirsch or Hotel Sacher Salzburg

If you have the right credit card, you can save a fair amount of money on hotels. Americans should strongly consider the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card since you can earn up to 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and $300 back at U.S. restaurants as a welcome bonus.

Canadians should consider the Marriott Bonvoy American Express, which gives you up to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. That’s enough points for a few free nights at some hotels, which could easily have a value of over $500.

Local transportation

Getting around Austria is pretty easy, especially if you are sticking with the main cities and towns. You absolutely can rent a car, but you really don’t need to. Austria has a fantastic well-connected train service that is reasonably priced. You can book ahead online, or at the station prior to your departure. For something a little cheaper, you can also take the bus.

As for getting around in the cities, it depends on where you are. Vienna is quite large so you will want to take the metro. Or, if you only have a couple of days, maybe consider doing one of the hop on hop off bus rides so you can see the city as you travel. Vienna is stunning to look at.

Smaller towns, like Salzburg, are easy to get around on foot. You can also take advantage of the bike rentals that are popping up across Europe, and explore by bike for a few hours.

Attractions

Austria has a lot of natural beauty, but also a lot of paid-for attractions meaning that this can be a category where you can either skimp or splurge depending on what you want to see and do. If your idea of a great day is just city exploring or hiking, then you won’t need much. However, if you love museums and galleries and are into music, well, you’ll want to make sure you have a little bit more allocated for these activities.

I recommend setting aside $300 for attractions in Austria, but you might want to budget more if you plan on doing a lot of day trips. Buying your tickets in advance from Klook can save you time and money. Here are some of the more popular attractions you should consider.

Cost to go to Austria palace

Food and drink

Austria’s food is similar to nearby countries of Germany and Hungary. However, the real standout in Austrian cuisine are the pastries and sweets. If you have a sweet tooth, prepare to fall in love with Austrian desserts including sacher torte, apfelstrudel, and more!

Meals in Austria range in price depending on where you go and what you eat. It’s important to note that the main meal of the day in Austria is lunch, not dinner. You can still have a bigger dinner if you choose, however, if you want to follow the local way then fill up at lunch and have a lighter snack-type meal for dinner.

With that in mind, here are average meal costs in Austria.

  • Breakfast: $7.00
  • Lunch: $25.00
  • Dinner: $15.00

This equals about $47.00 per day if you eat mainly in cafes and restaurants. If you choose cheaper take-away options for some meals or have breakfast included at your hotel, you can cut down your prices.

Please be aware that tipping is common practice at restaurants in Vienna.

Random Spending

It’s always a smart idea to have a little extra money set aside for random spending. Maybe you need some souvenirs, maybe you need some extra taxi money, or maybe you want to splurge on something special. For travel in Austria, I recommend you have at least an extra $100 on hand just in case.

Final thoughts

So, how much does it cost to go to Austria? Based on my estimate, you can expect to pay around $2580.00 for 7 days and 6 nights in this European country. Austria isn’t cheap, but it is beautiful and by using some of the tips given above, you can cut this budget down a little more if needed. Need some more inspiration? Check out my guides to Greece, Canada, Laos, and Spain.

About Barry Choi

Barry Choi is a Toronto-based personal finance and travel expert who frequently makes media appearances. His blog Money We Have is one of Canada’s most trusted sources when it comes to money and travel. You can find him on Twitter:@barrychoi

1 Comment

  1. Suara saheed tunde I on December 3, 2022 at 3:47 PM

    I will like to come to Austra for vacation in 2023

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