EUROCOSTSCOUNTRY COMPARISON · UPDATED 2026-07-15
Austria vs Spain: taxes, salary and cost of living
Austria and Spain present two different cost profiles: the first question is whether the salary gap compensates for housing and daily expenses.
Austria vs Spain at a glance
| Indicator | Austria | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Standard VAT | 20% | 21% |
| Income tax | 0-55% | 19-47% |
| Social contributions | 18.12% | 36.25% |
| Tax burden | 47.2% | 39.5% |
| Average monthly salary | 4,950 € gross/month | €2,642 |
| Studio rent | €760 | €950 |
| Monthly food estimate | €330 | €320 |
| Gasoline | 1.63 €/L | 1.57 €/L |
| Electricity | 0.28 €/kWh | 0.24 €/kWh |
How far does the local salary go?
The salary records for Austria and Spain are not directly numeric in both cases. A responsible comparison therefore avoids inventing a salary gap and treats the displayed labels as source notes to verify.
What recurring living costs reveal
Austria has the lower listed studio rent by €190, a 20.0% difference relative to the higher rent. Austria sits 20 of 37 and Spain 28 of 37 in the available low-to-high rent ranking. Spain also has the lower food estimate, so the housing result is partly offset by groceries.
A simplified salary-minus-rent-and-food remainder cannot be calculated reliably for both Austria and Spain because at least one component is non-numeric. The interactive calculator should be used only after verifying those inputs.
Tax profile for employees
Spain has the lower listed tax burden by 7.7 percentage points. Standard VAT is 20% in Austria versus 21% in Spain. Allowances, tax brackets and employment status can reverse a headline comparison.
Fuel-price impact
Spain has the lower listed gasoline price by €0.06 per litre. For a driver buying 50 litres a month, that headline difference is about €3 monthly, before insurance, parking and road charges.
The answer depends on your profile
For Austria and Spain, short stays are influenced heavily by rent and restaurant prices; permanent relocation adds payroll, healthcare and administrative costs. These figures work best as a shortlist, not a final decision model.
Final view: Austria or Spain?
Spain leads Austria on more of the comparable numeric indicators used in this Austria–Spain summary. This is a directional result, not a personal financial recommendation.
Sources and data references
- PwC standard VAT rates
- PwC personal income tax rates
- PwC corporate income tax rates
- EuroCosts data scope and generation process
Explore Austria comparisons · Explore Spain comparisons