Prices in Vienna. Budgeting for tourists and students

When planning a trip, most of us have a certain budget for expenses in mind. We multiply the number of meals we need by the number of days in the country and decide what to eat and where to go shopping. We read forums and draft our route around the city. One of the most unpleasant situations that can happen abroad is a significant overspending, which will not only ruin the entire positive experience of the trip, but also become a financial burden once we return home.

In this article, we have compiled for you the average prices for goods and services in Vienna, so that you make an informed decision and manage your budget well.

When choosing between renting a hotel and an Airbnb apartment, we recommend an apartment with a kitchen. If your trip lasts five days or more, cooking will save you a lot of money, especially if you travel with a large family or group of friends.

Supermarket

The prices below are average and may vary depending on the supermarket. According to locals, the cheapest prices are in Lidl, Zielpunkt and Hofer. However, if you're looking for supermarkets with a bigger choice of domestic and imported goods, own bakery and ready meals, expect to pay more at Billa and Spar.

Please note that shops and supermarkets are usually open from 8 am to 6-8 pm on weekdays and mostly closed on Sundays.

If you are traveling with an infant, we recommend that you bring baby food from your home country, because a 150-200 g portion will cost €0.8-2 in Austria.

Fruits Bananas, 1 kg: €2 Grapes, 1 kg: €2-3 Apples or pears, 1 kg: €2-3	Vegetables Tomatoes, 1 kg: €3 Cucumbers, 1 kg: €0,8 Pepper, 1 kg: €2 Onion, 1 kg: €0,7 Potatoes, 1 kg: €1-1,3 Carrots, 1 kg: €1 Frozen vegetables, 1 kg: €3,5	Bread and starchy foods Bread, 1 loaf: €1-2 Rice, 1 kg: €6 Pasta or spaghetti, 1 kg: starting from €0,8
Meat and fish Boiled or roasted pork/ham, 1 kg: €17-20 Pork, 1 kg: €5-10 Beef, 1 kg: €10-17 Chicken, 1 kg: €7-10 Fish fillet, 1 kg: €13-18 Sausages, 300 g: €1,8-3	Dairy Eggs, 10 pcs: €2-3 Milk, 1L: €0,5-2 Cheddar or Gouda cheese, 1 kg: €6-7 Butter, 500 g: €5	Sweets and drinks Wine, 0.75L: €5-10 Beer, 0.5L: €0,8-1,5 Juice, 1L: €1-2 Water*, 1.5L: starting from €0,3 Chocolate: starting from €1,5 *In Vienna, you can drink clean tap water, which is absolutely safe. There are also multiple drinking fountains around the city.
Personal hygiene Shampoo: €4 Toothpaste: starting from €2 Sanitary pads: starting from €1 Pack of toilet paper: €2,7

Cafes and restaurants

If you are on a tight budget, we advise you to eat away from the busiest areas of the city. An average bill is usually lower in cafeteria with only German menu, who serves locals.

Breakfast Set breakfast for one: €8-12 Kaiserschmarrn: €10 Capuccino: €3

Lunch* and dinner** Soup: €3-6 Salads: €5-8 Soup+salad at an inexpensive place during lunchtime: starting from €9 Pasta or goulash: ~ €7 Viennese schnitzel: €10-15. Schnitzel with a side dish: up to €25 in a busy area Main course (duck, veal or beef): €22-36 Dessert (coffee and cake): €6-10

Street & fast food Vienna sausage or sandwich with ham: €3-4,5 A street-style schnitzel: starting from €3,5 Kabab: €4 Pizza: €6,5-10, depending on the ingredients Fast food meal: €5-7

* A set lunch at a budget-friendly dining place may cost €12-15, but you need to order it between 12 to 2 pm.

** You may also consider buying your dinner at a supermarket, as the evening menu in restaurants is the most expensive.

Public transport

There are many types of public transport in Vienna: buses, sightseeing buses, trams, metro, and railway. Therefore, tickets and travel cards are also very diverse. Below we list the cheapest options, but before starting your trip we advise you to read the full list.

Please note that children under 6 years of age use public transport for free.

• Single-trip ticket within one zone: €2.4
• Discounted single-trip ticket within one zone: €1.2-1.5 for children under 15 and seniors over 64 years of age.
• Unlimited day ticket in the Wiener Linien mobile app: €5.8
• Unlimited 48-hour ticket: €14.1
• Unlimited 72-hour ticket: €17.1
• Tourist card for one-week unlimited travel: €29.9

You can also register in the Citybike app and rent a bike. The first 60 minutes are free of charge. Then the tariff increases by 1 euro every hour, and from the fourth hour on is 4 euros.

Students can use the following options:

• Monthly student pass from Wiener Linien: €29.5. Sold only during the summer holidays from June to August.
• A semester card for 5 months: €75, if your residence permit is issued in Vienna, and €150 for others.

Have a pleasant trip to Vienna!