Working and Hiring in Vienna: Pay, Rent and What Employers Should Know
Full-time employees living in Vienna had a median gross income of €51,420 in 2023. On that salary, an employer pays about 29.82% on top in 2026, so the total cost is about €66,753 a year.
Thinking of hiring in Vienna, or working there? This guide covers what an employee costs in the city, Vienna pay and rent levels, the local labor market in figures and the ways a company outside Austria can employ someone there. National rules are in our Austria guide.
Vienna in figures
Employer cost on Vienna's median full-time pay, 2026
What it costs to employ someone in Vienna
Most Austrian payroll rates are national, but 2 differ in Vienna. The housing subsidy contribution is 1.5% in Vienna from 1 January 2026, split 0.75% each between employer and employee, against 1% elsewhere. The DB surcharge, set by each state, is 0.36% in Vienna. Together, the employer pays about 29.82% on top of gross pay in 2026, up to the contribution ceilings. On Vienna's median full-time pay of €51,420, that is €15,333.45, for a total of €66,753.45 a year.
Pay in Austria usually comes in 14 instalments, so €51,420 a year is about €3,673 a payment. That is below the €6,930 monthly ceiling, so every rate applies to all pay. Collective agreements, notice periods, leave, probation and income tax follow federal law. Our guide to hiring in Austria covers them.
Pay in Vienna
Employees living in Vienna who worked full time all year had a median gross income of €51,420 in 2023, including the 13th and 14th salary, according to the Rechnungshof income report based on Statistik Austria data. That is 1.1% below the Austrian median of €52,016. Across all employees, including part-time, the Vienna median was €33,342, the lowest of the 9 states. Women in full-time work earned 96% of the male median, against 87% in Austria. See average salary in Vienna.
Rent in Vienna
Main rented homes in Vienna cost an average of €10.60 per m² a month in 2025, including operating costs, according to the Statistik Austria Mikrozensus. The average rent per home was €694.30 a month. The Austrian average was €10.20 per m². See cost of living in Vienna.
The Vienna labor market
At the end of October 2026, 121,892 people were registered as unemployed in Vienna, 2.5% fewer than a year earlier, and 33,153 more were in AMS training. In 2023, 972,350 employees lived in Vienna, 22% of all employees in Austria and more than in any other state.
How to hire in Vienna
- Find the person. Write the role, set the salary against Vienna pay levels and the collective agreement, then source and interview candidates. You can run the search yourself with a job post, or use a placement service that delivers a shortlist.
- Choose how to employ them. An Austrian entity running payroll, an employer of record or a freelance contract.
- Make the offer. The contract has to meet Austrian employment law and the collective agreement for the sector.
There are 3 ways to employ someone in Vienna. With an Austrian entity, you register a company in Austria, run payroll and pay the employer contributions yourself. With an employer of record (EOR), a third-party provider becomes the legal employer and runs Austrian payroll for a monthly fee per employee, while your company directs the work. With a contractor or freelance agreement, the person invoices you through their own business, and the relationship has to be genuinely independent.
Euro Remote Talent does not employ people on your behalf. We handle the placement: we find and shortlist the candidate, and you employ them through the route that fits.
How Euro Remote Talent can help
We do placement. We source, screen and interview remote professionals across Europe, then deliver a shortlist of 3 candidates within 21 days for a flat $6,500, or your deposit back. Prefer to run the search yourself? Post a job for $299 and reach candidates who want to work remotely.
See how placement works, post a job or book a 30-minute call. Browse remote jobs in Austria to see who is hiring there now.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and collective agreements can set different terms. Confirm with a local accountant or lawyer before you hire.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to employ someone in Vienna?
On Vienna's median full-time pay of €51,420, the employer adds about €15,333 in social insurance, company pension fund and payroll taxes at 2026 rates, for about €66,753 a year.
Are employer costs different in Vienna from the rest of Austria?
Slightly. The housing subsidy contribution is 1.5% in Vienna from 2026, with 0.75% paid by the employer, and the DB surcharge is 0.36%. Most other rates are national.
What is the average salary in Vienna?
Full-year full-time employees living in Vienna had a median gross income of €51,420 in 2023, including the 13th and 14th salary. The median for all employees was €33,342.
How high is rent in Vienna?
Main rented homes cost an average of €10.60 per m² a month in 2025, including operating costs. That is €636 a month for 60 m².
Can a company outside Austria hire someone in Vienna without an Austrian entity?
Yes. The usual routes are an employer of record, a third-party provider that employs the person for you, or a genuine freelance contract. Euro Remote Talent handles the placement: we find, screen and shortlist the person, and you choose the route.
Sources
- AMS Arbeitsmarktservice, Übersicht über den Arbeitsmarkt, October 2026. Checked 3 Nov 2026.
- Rechnungshof Österreich, Allgemeiner Einkommensbericht 2024. Checked 3 Nov 2026.
- Statistik Austria, Wohnkosten, Mikrozensus Wohnen 2025. Checked 3 Nov 2026.
- Dachverband der österreichischen Sozialversicherungen, Beitragsrechtliche Werte 2026. Checked 3 Nov 2026.
- WKO, Zuschlag zum Dienstgeberbeitrag 2026. Checked 3 Nov 2026.
- Wiener Linien, Jahreskarte. Checked 3 Nov 2026.
