Living in Vienna

On this page you will find information on the following topics:


Cost of living

The list below shows an estimate of the monthly living expenses for students in Austria. The numbers given are only a guideline and are by no means binding. Accommodation costs are calculated on the basis of a room in a hall of residence or a shared flat.

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  • Average cost of living per month (2024)

    Accommodation (incl. heating, electricity)

    € 450

    Food

    € 350

    Public transport

    € 30

    Study and personal requirements (book, spare time, etc.)

    € 400

    Monthly expenses

    € 1200 -  € 1,230


Public transport

Vienna has an excellent public transport system consisting of underground lines, bus services, trams and a city train network. For longer stays and frequent use of the Viennese public transport system, it is advisable to purchase one of the following Wiener Linien zone cards.

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  • Students below the age of 26

    Students of the University of Vienna under 26 years of age can buy a semester ticket from any ticket sales office or online.
    At any ticket sales office you can buy the ticket even if you do not have a valid student ID card and your payment of the Austrian Students' Union fee has not yet been registered. (You will need to prove that you are registered at the University of Vienna: Certificate of Arrival; admission letter with handwritten student ID number.)


  • Trainees and students over the age of 26

    Erasmus+ trainees do not have student status at the University of Vienna and are therefore not able to buy the semester ticket for public transport. As an alternative, you can buy a Annual season ticket ("Jahreskarte"). The annual ticket can be cancelled at any time before the first day of the month without needing to state a reason, for a one-off fee of currently € 22.

  • What to do if you lose your ticket

    If you bought the ticket at a Wiener Linien service office, first of all you need to make an official "notice of loss" ("Verlustanzeige") or "notice of theft" ("Diebstahlanzeige"). Then take the "notice of loss/or theft" with you to the Wiener Linien service centre ("Kundenzentrum der Wiener Linien", Erdbergstraße 202) and get a new ticket there (administration fee: ~€ 10).

    If you bought your personalised ticket via the Wiener Linien’s online ticket shop, you can just print it out again yourself for free.


Medical care

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  • Doctors and dentists

    Further information on health insurance is available here.

    You can get medical treatment in Vienna 24/7. Doctors (not including dentists) in Vienna can be found in the list of national health doctors ("Verzeichnis der Wiener Kassenärzte" – select "All health funds" ("Alle Kassen")). In the event of an emergency, please call an ambulance (emergency number 144) or go to a hospital.

    Should you require a doctor during the night or at the weekend, there is an emergency medical service ("Ärztefunkdienst"). They will send you a doctor according to the medical particulars you describe. Furthermore, there is an 'open surgery' you can go to on weekends and public holidays (Saturday, Sunday, public holidays from 8:00 to 20:00).

    Dentists can be found in the list of dentists ("Zahnärzteverzeichnis"). In the event of an emergency, there is an emergency service ("Zahnarztnotdienst").

  • Psychological Counselling

    The Psychological Counselling Service ("Psychologische Studierendenberatung") provides assistance with academic and personal concerns offering psychological counselling, study advice, coaching, psychotherapy, etc. All services are free of charge for students of the University of Vienna.

    Further contacts in the event of psychological and psychosocial crises:

  • Pharmacies

    Overview of pharmacies and their opening hours in Vienna.


Emergency numbers

Fire brigade

122

Police

133

Ambulance

144

European emergency call number
(EU-wide)

112

Ärztefunkdienst
(Emergency medical service)

141

Spiritual welfare hotline

142

Center for intoxication and poisoning

(01) 406 43 43

Emergency line for women

(01) 71 719

Pharmacies on-call duty

1455

Socio-psychiatric emergency service

(01) 313 30


ESN (Erasmus Student Network)

The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) helps Erasmus+ students to integrate and connect with each other. The International Office cooperates with the ESN section of the University of Vienna.
Services for Erasmus+ students offered by ESN:

  • "ESN Welcome Week" (which is not to be mixed up with our Orientation) at the beginning of the semester
  • Various activities throughout the semester
  • A "Buddy System", which pairs (mostly) local Austrian students with incoming exchange students, supporting the international students in settling in
  • The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) also offers a language tandem service free of charge via Facebook: Language Tandem Service ESN

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Leisure time in Vienna

Vienna offers a broad range of cultural activities. Alongside cinemas, theatres, concert halls and opera houses, there are many museums, castles and churches. A good place to get information is the Tourist Info Vienna. Discounts for students (mostly only for those under 27 years) are often available in theatres, museums or other cultural institutions if you bring your valid student ID card with you. The best way is to ask directly.

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