Austria · Housing
Renting and buying property in Austria — typical rents, deposits, contracts, and official tenancy rules.
AI-drafted, editorial review pending. The official links below are checked — confirm specifics with the authority.
Renting runs on two layers of law: the Tenancy Act (MRG), which applies fully or in part to much of the older and subsidised housing stock, and general civil law for the rest. Since 1 January 2026 the Rent Value Protection Act caps how far indexed rents under the Tenancy Act may rise — at most 1% in 2026 and 2% in 2027, and from 2028 only half of any increase above 3% may be passed on — with one adjustment a year, no earlier than 1 April. Since July 2023 the party that commissions an estate agent pays the commission, which in practice is usually the landlord.
- Register your address with the local registration authority within three days of moving in.
- Under the orderer principle in force since 1 July 2023, a tenant pays an agent's commission only if the tenant engaged the agent.
- Indexed rents under the Tenancy Act may be raised at most once a year, from 1 April, within the statutory caps.
- oesterreich.gv.at — Maklerprovision
Official guide to estate-agent commission on rentals.
- oesterreich.gv.at — Anmeldung des Wohnsitzes
Official guide to registering a residence.
Typical rents by city
| Cities | 1-bedroom rent |
|---|---|
| Vienna | €900–1,600/mo (inner districts 1–9); €650–1,100/mo (outer) |
Government portals
- oesterreich.gv.at — Austrian Government Portal — Guidance and online services for residents, including residence registration and ID Austria.
- USP — Business Service Portal — Online company formation (e-start-up), beneficial-owner filings and business dealings with the authorities.
- Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) — Tax, customs and online filing through FinanzOnline.
- Migration Platform of the Austrian Federal Government — Red-White-Red Card, EU Blue Card and family reunification, with a points calculator.