Housing satisfaction in Austria: record prices despite construction sites!

Housing satisfaction in Austria: record prices despite construction sites!

In Austria, residential satisfaction is high despite numerous challenges. Loud vienna.at In 2025 it will be 8.1 on a scale from 0 to 10. This positive assessment contrasts with the current developments on the housing market, where the number of building permits reached a record low in 2024 with just 31,867 permits. This represents more than a halving compared to the 71,805 approvals from 2017.

Rental prices in Austria are rising continuously and have exceeded the inflation rate in recent years. While the average price was 6 euros per square meter in 2010, the costs rose to 9.80 euros per square meter by 2024. This year there was an increase in rents of 4.8%, while the consumer price index only increased by 2.9%.

Rental cost situation and regional differences

The average rental costs vary greatly depending on the type of apartment: municipal apartments cost around 8 euros per square meter, cooperative apartments 8.50 euros, while the main rents are around 11.60 euros per square meter. The most expensive rental prices are in Salzburg at 11.90 euros, followed by Tyrol and Vorarlberg, which are also over 11 euros per square meter. In more temperate regions such as Carinthia and Burgenland, however, rental prices are significantly cheaper, at 7.70 euros and 7.40 euros per square meter.

Data also shows that single-person households under 30 pay an average of 11.30 euros per square meter, while those over 60 pay just 8.50 euros per square meter. There is also a significant difference between households with foreign citizens and Austrian citizens, with the former paying an average of 11.10 euros while the latter is 9.10 euros.

Housing situation and housing cost burden

In total, there are 4.16 million main residences in Austria, 48% of which are owned. This reflects the high rental rate of 46%, which is the second highest in Europe. In Vienna the rental rate is highest at 78%, while Burgenland is lowest at 22%. The average apartment has 102 m² and can accommodate 2.17 people. Another important aspect is the length of the contract: community apartments last on average 13.2 years, cooperative apartments 13.4 years, and private main rentals only 2.4 years.

At the European level, the burden of housing costs is a major issue, as in Germany over a third of the 21 million tenant households are heavily burdened by their housing costs. More than 3.1 million households spend more than 40% of their income on rent and heating costs, which is still relevant in a very tight housing market like the German one Tenants' Association reported.

In Austria, the situation regarding housing costs is also critical, especially when one considers the development of the various cost factors. The diverse aspects of housing costs, including operating costs, energy costs and maintenance costs, are crucial as to how statistic.at shows. This data is collected regularly and provides a comprehensive view of the financial burden that private households experience due to housing costs.