Dorm room€350–€650
WG room (private market)€450–€700
Groceries / month€200–€280
Annual pass (under 26)€294/year
Mensa lunch€6–€8
ÖGK student insurance€78.84/month
Monthly student budget
- Tight — €900: dorm, Hofer groceries, no nights out
- Comfortable — €1 100–€1 250: dorm, occasional restaurants, small trips
- Generous — €1 500+: WG room, eating out 2×/week, gym
Where the money actually goes
Vienna sits in the EU mid-tier — cheaper than Munich/Zurich, pricier than Berlin. Rent is the killer; transport, healthcare and food are genuinely affordable thanks to subsidies.
Hidden costs in the first month
- Kaution (deposit): 2–3 months' rent, refundable
- Anmeldebescheinigung (EU) €44 · Aufenthaltsbewilligung Student (non-EU) €218
- Bedding, kitchenware, basic furniture: ≈ €200
- Mobile SIM + first internet bill: ≈ €30
Track your spend with a Bunq or Revolut sub-account labelled "Vienna fixed costs" — the start is brutal, then it stabilises.