A flat in Austria costs about 4,200 euro per m² nationally and 5,200 in Vienna, but 6,400 in Innsbruck; buying costs add 10% to 12%, and what a foreigner may buy depends on the federal state.
How much does property cost in Austria? As of October 2026, the national median for flats was about 4,160 euro per m² in 2025 transactions, Vienna about 5,200 euro per m², and the most expensive state capital, Innsbruck, about 6,400 euro per m². On top of the price, budget 10% to 12% for purchase costs, and check the rules of the federal state before you sign, because what a foreigner may buy is decided state by state.
Prices per m²: what the sources show
Be careful which number you read, because transaction prices, asking prices and city averages differ. Statistik Austria, which uses real transactions, reports national medians for 2025 of about 4,162 euro per m² for flats and 2,836 euro per m² for houses, with Vienna's median for flats at about 5,212 euro per m². Within Vienna the spread is wide: in one Statistik-based analysis a pre-1960 flat in Favoriten (10th district) cost about 3,024 euro per m², while a new-build in the Inner City cost about 9,477. The building's age often matters more than the district.
Asking prices run higher. ImmoScout24 reports average asking prices for flats of about 6,248 euro per m² for H1 2026, up 5% on a year earlier, with Tyrol at about 7,259, Vorarlberg 6,937, Vienna 6,729 (up 2%) and Carinthia 5,322 (up 7%). One Q1 2026 analysis of Vienna put new-build near 7,300 euro per m² and existing flats near 4,536. Treat asking prices as the ceiling and transaction medians as what buyers actually paid.
Cities and states (H1 2026, Raiffeisen Immobilien averages)
- Innsbruck about 6,400 euro per m², the most expensive state capital
- Salzburg about 5,500 and Vienna about 5,500
- Bregenz about 5,200, Linz about 4,200, Klagenfurt about 3,900
- Graz about 3,600, Eisenstadt about 3,400, St. Pölten about 2,800
Among districts, Kitzbühel is reported as the most expensive in Austria with a transaction median of about 5,780 euro per m² in 2025, ahead of Innsbruck at 5,050 and Salzburg at 4,740. In Linz new flats average about 5,500 euro per m² against about 3,800 for used ones, so the new-build premium can be large.
The 2026 trend
Statistik Austria reports that house and flat prices were 3.9% higher in H1 2026 than a year earlier (existing 4.0%, new 3.8%), accelerating to 5.1% and 4.9% in Q2, with the house price index at a record. Statistik's director general described the longer phase of moderate price development as over. For the market story see our note Austrian house and flat prices rose 3.9% in the first half of 2026. For what the price buys in rental terms, see rental yield in Austria.
Can a foreigner buy property in Austria?
Austria has no single national rule: property transfer law belongs to the nine federal states.
- EU and EEA citizens are treated like Austrians, but some states still ask for a declaration or a negative certificate, and Vienna's land register requires it
- Citizens of other countries need state approval in every state before the land register will register them, and the approval depends on a justified interest, such as a main residence
- Second homes are restricted regardless of nationality in tourist areas: Tyrol broadly prohibits new holiday homes, and Salzburg restricts them in tourist municipalities, with fines and even forced sale for misdeclared use
- In Salzburg a third-country approval is reported to take about 8 to 16 weeks, with a legal maximum of three months, and fines of up to 50,000 euro for breaches
We checked Vienna, Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg; the other states have their own rules, so confirm the exact process for the state where you buy. Compare the EU and non-EU position in EU versus non-EU property.
Purchase costs: 10% to 12%
- Property transfer tax (Grunderwerbsteuer): 3.5% of the price
- Land register fee for the new owner: 1.1% of the price
- Mortgage lien registration: 1.2% of the loan amount, if you finance
- Agent: up to 3% plus 20% VAT per side, payable only if you signed a commission agreement; the rule that the party who orders pays applies to rentals, not sales
- Contract drafting by a lawyer or notary: reported at about 1,500 to 4,500 euro; escrow about 0.8% to 1.5% of the price
Together a typical purchase with a mortgage and an agent lands at 10% to 12%; a cash purchase without an agent is closer to the 4.6% of transfer tax and registration plus legal costs. The temporary waiver of land-register fees ended for applications from 1 July 2026, and it required proof of a main residence, so it did not apply to investors.
Mortgages for foreign buyers
The national lending rules (KIM Regulation) expired on 30 June 2025, but the financial regulator still treats 20% equity, a debt-service cap of 40% of net income and a 35-year term as the benchmark, and many banks follow it. Non-residents are generally asked for more equity and documents; see mortgages for non-residents.
Budget examples (our arithmetic)
- Vienna, 60 m² at 5,212 euro per m²: about 312,700 euro, plus 10% to 12% costs, so about 344,000 to 350,000 euro
- Graz, 60 m² at 3,600 euro per m²: 216,000 euro, so about 237,600 to 241,900 euro
- Innsbruck, 60 m² at 6,400 euro per m²: 384,000 euro, so about 422,400 to 430,100 euro
Annual costs
Expect monthly operating costs (Betriebskosten) and a contribution to the building's reserve fund, plus municipal property tax, which is usually small relative to the price; ask the seller for the last annual statement. See also total cost of ownership abroad, and verify any new-build developer as in how to verify a developer abroad. Browse Austria for current listings.
FAQ
What is the average price per m² in Austria? About 4,160 euro for flats and 2,840 for houses in 2025 transactions; Vienna about 5,200 for flats. Which Austrian city is the most expensive? Innsbruck, about 6,400 euro per m² in H1 2026, followed by Salzburg and Vienna at about 5,500. Can a non-EU citizen buy a flat in Austria? Yes, but state approval is required before registration and depends on a justified interest; confirm with a local lawyer for the state in question. How much are the buying costs? Typically 10% to 12% of the price with a mortgage and an agent, including 3.5% transfer tax and 1.1% registration fee.
How we help
We shortlist Austrian properties to your budget and goal, check which state's rules apply to you, model the full cost including taxes and fees and coordinate local lawyers. Informational only, not legal, tax or investment advice; figures are indicative as of October 2026 and change.