Austria
Vienna: how much to budget
Plan €1531 for 7 nights in Vienna, return flight from London included, or €561 travelling cheap. On the ground that works out at €208 per person per day.
Vienna - estimate transport, lodging, and meals before you book.
- From
- €71/day
- vs. London
- 96%
- Best month
- Jul
Your trip to Vienna
Set the length, the number of travellers and the comfort level: the figures recompute here.
€1,531
per person, flight included
- on the ground
- €1,456
- flight from London
- €75
- per person per day, on the ground
- €208
InstantTripCost estimate
Full 7-night budget breakdown
Per-person estimate including flights from London, split across the six expense categories.
per person · Comfort
| Category | Budget | Comfort | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | €64 | €75 | €113 |
| Hotel | €182 | €602 | €945 |
| Food | €210 | €504 | €1113 |
| Transport | €56 | €126 | €315 |
| Activities | €28 | €119 | €378 |
| Misc | €21 | €105 | €329 |
| 7-night total | €561 | €1531 | €3193 |
Flight from London (annual median).
Unit prices
comfort
Enough to check the total yourself, line by line, at the comfort level you picked.
- €11
- Breakfast
- €20
- Lunch
- €41
- Dinner
- €6
- City ride
- €17
- Site admission
- €208
- A full day
Orders of magnitude derived from our measured ranges, not surveyed venue by venue. Prices vary by neighbourhood and season.
Why go
Why visit Vienna
People come to Vienna for the atmosphere, food, and heritage, but budget is the least-anticipated dimension of any trip: from €71 to €440 per day depending on travel style, the gap between budget and premium is easy to measure.
Winter in Vienna is long and pronounced, with temperatures falling below 5 °C between December and February - which also happens to be when hotels and restaurants offer the best rates.
Real budget
What a trip to Vienna actually costs
Let's break it down. Lodging: a hostel dorm or entry-level hotel runs around €26 per night, a well-rated 3-star around €86, and 4 to 5-star around €135. Food: around €10 a day eating local, €24 mixing canteens and restaurants, €53 if you sit down for dinner every evening.
Local transport: roughly €8 a day on public transit, €18 adding a few taxi rides. Activities: about €21 a day at a normal sightseeing pace, €45 if you stack paid entries and day trips.
On a 5-to-7-day trip, lodging accounts for roughly 35-45 % of total budget, food 15-20 %, flights 20-30 % depending on the booking window, with the remainder split between local transport, activities, and miscellaneous (visa, insurance, tipping, SIM card). A Vienna trip that goes over budget is almost always because the hotel is oversized for the rest, rarely because of activities.
Seasonality
When to go and what it costs
The best price-weather compromise is July: temperatures in the 18-25 °C sweet spot, crowds still manageable, and airfares near the annual median. If budget is the priority, September delivers the cheapest flight of the year (€37 round-trip from London in median), at the cost of generally less pleasant weather.
Money saving
How to cut the Vienna budget
Flights to Vienna shed up to 54 % of their price in shoulder season. It's the easiest saving to capture: just move the dates. For the hotel, booking 6 to 8 weeks out beats both last-minute and extreme anticipation.
Two more habits round it out. First, stay one or two metro stops away from the center: hotel rates often drop by half for identical comfort. Second, cap paid activities at one per day. A good guided tour or workshop beats four back-to-back tickets every time.
Practical info
Language, currency, and logistics in Vienna
Language: Austrian Sign Language, English is understood in most hotels and restaurants in tourist areas. Currency: Euro (€) - plan €50-100 in cash for the first days and use a fee-free card for the rest.
The three tiers
What a budget traveller, a comfort traveller and a premium traveller typically spend.
Budget
€64
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €26
- Meal
- €10
- Transit / day
- €8
Comfort
€176
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €86
- Meal
- €24
- Transit / day
- €18
Luxury
€339
per day, approx
- Hotel / night
- €135
- Meal
- €53
- Transit / day
- €45
Weather & best time to visit
Average temperatures and conditions by month in Vienna.
Best month to visitJuly
Where to sleep in Vienna
The hotels we measured
Accommodation picks by price range.
Nest Natur Hostel
Hostel, well rated (8/10) from 2,172 reviews.
Westend City Hostel
Hostel, decent (7.7/10) from 806 reviews.
Do Step Inn Home - Hotel & Hostel
Hostel, decent (7.6/10) from 4,145 reviews.
Hotel Viki
Hotel, decent (7.4/10) from 1,280 reviews.
Hotel Geblergasse
Hotel, decent (7.9/10) from 7,564 reviews.
Pension Liechtenstein
guesthouse, well rated (8.4/10) from 1,086 reviews.
Rioca Vienna Posto 2
Hotel, rated excellent (9/10) from 15,143 reviews.
Hotel Pension Baronesse
guesthouse, decent (7.9/10) from 2,333 reviews.
RockApart Wien
Hotel, rated excellent (9/10) from 1,540 reviews.
All observed hotels in Vienna
24 properties, nightly rate for a 2-night stay arriving 15 October 2026.
| Hotel | Category | Rating | From / night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Natur Hostel | Budget | ★ 8 | €17 |
| Westend City Hostel | Budget | ★ 7.7 | €22 |
| Do Step Inn Home - Hotel & Hostel | Budget | ★ 7.6 | €22 |
| A&T Hotel & Hostel | Budget | ★ 8 | €22 |
| Do Step Inn Central - Self-Service-Hostel | Budget | ★ 7.5 | €22 |
| Metro Apartments Vienna | Budget | ★ 6.3 | €23 |
| 7brunnen Hostel Beds & Rooms | Budget | ★ 7.7 | €24 |
| MEININGER Hotel Wien Downtown Franz | Budget | ★ 8 | €25 |
| Hotel Viki | Mid-range | ★ 7.4 | €50 |
| Hotel Geblergasse | Mid-range | ★ 7.9 | €55 |
| Rioca Vienna Posto 2 | Luxury | ★ 9 | €62 |
| Hotel Pension Baronesse | Luxury | ★ 7.9 | €70 |
| Pension Liechtenstein | Mid-range | ★ 8.4 | €75 |
| Hotel Allegro Wien | Mid-range | ★ 7.7 | €75 |
| Hotel Korotan | Mid-range | ★ 8.1 | €75 |
| Ibis Wien Messe | Mid-range | ★ 7.8 | €76 |
| RockApart Wien | Luxury | ★ 9 | €77 |
| Hotel Attaché | Mid-range | ★ 7.9 | €78 |
| Hotel Pension Baron am Schottentor | Luxury | ★ 7.8 | €79 |
| Holiday Inn - the niu, Franz Vienna by IHG | Mid-range | ★ 8.4 | €82 |
| Hotel Brauhof Wien | Luxury | ★ 8.6 | €97 |
| Superbude Wien Prater | Luxury | ★ 9 | €99 |
| Flemings Selection Hotel Wien-City | Luxury | ★ 8.6 | €111 |
| Jaz in the City Vienna | Luxury | ★ 9 | €115 |
Things to do in Vienna
Recommended activities and tours.
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien (lit. "Vienna Museum of Art History", often referred to as the "Museum of Fine Arts, Vienna") is an art museum in Vienna, Austria.
Art museum
Albertina
The Albertina is a museum in the Innere Stadt (First District) of Vienna, Austria. It houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and approximately 1 million old master prints, as well as more modern graphic works, photographs and architectural drawings.
Art museum
Natural History Museum, Vienna
The Natural History Museum Vienna (German: Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) is a large natural history museum located in Vienna, Austria. The NHM Vienna is one of the largest museums and non-university research institutions in Austria and an important center of excellence for all matters relating to natural sciences.
Natural history museum
Hofburg Palace
The Hofburg (German: [ˈhoːfbʊʁk]) is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty in Austria. Located in the center of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century by Ottokar II of Bohemia and expanded several times afterwards.
Castle
Karlskirche
The Karlskirche (English: Charles Church) is a Baroque church in the Karlsplatz in Vienna, Austria. The church is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation.
Church
Prater
The Prater is a 6 km² public park in Vienna's 2nd district, Leopoldstadt. The name "Prater" is often used to refer to the Wurstelprater, an amusement park within the area.
Park
Vindobona
Vindobona (Latin pronunciation: [wɪnˈdɔbɔna]; from Gaulish windo- "white" and bona "base/bottom") was a Roman military camp (or castra) in the province of Pannonia, located on the site of the modern city of Vienna in Austria. The settlement area took on a new name in the 13th century, being changed to Berghof, or now simply known as Alter Berghof (the Old Berghof).
Archaeological site
MuseumsQuartier
The MuseumsQuartier Wien (MQ) is an arts and culture complex in the 7th district of Vienna, Austria. Opened in 2001 on the site of the former imperial court stables, it combines historic Baroque buildings with contemporary museum architecture.
Architectural ensemble
Heldenplatz
Heldenplatz (German: Heroes' Square) is a public space in front of the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. Located in the Innere Stadt borough, the President of Austria resides in the adjoining Hofburg wing, while the Federal Chancellery is on adjacent Ballhausplatz.
Square
Karlsplatz
Karlsplatz (German for 'Charles Square') is a town square on the border of the first and fourth districts of Vienna, Austria. It is one of the most frequented and best connected transportation hubs in Vienna.
Square
Places referenced on Wikidata. Admission prices vary by season - check each venue's official site.
Paying less in Vienna
What moves the needle
What each decision takes off the €1494 total, strongest lever first.
- − €959
Travel cheap rather than mid-range
Hostel or entry-level hotel, local canteens, public transport. Accommodation is where the gap opens up.
- − €416
Stay five nights instead of seven
Two fewer nights also removes two days of meals, transport and sightseeing.
- − €301
Travel as a pair
The room is shared, nothing else is. Travellers themselves name this as the strongest lever.
Differences computed from our own measurements, for a 7-night mid-range stay, excluding flights.
FAQ
FAQ - Vienna
- How much should I budget for a trip to Vienna?
- For a 7-day trip to Vienna, expect roughly €561 - €3193 per person depending on your travel style, flights included. The budget profile (hostels, local food, public transit) sits at the lower end ; mid-range comfort sits in the middle ; luxury (premium hotel, fine dining) approaches the top.
- When is the best time to visit Vienna?
- The best value is in July, with pleasant temperatures and usually cheaper flights than during peak tourist season. This window combines moderate crowds and lower airfare.
- How do I get around in Vienna?
- Local transport (metro, bus, taxi) costs an average of €8 - €45 per day depending on your style. Public transit stays the cheapest option ; a day or weekly pass usually pays off after just two rides per day.
- How can I do Vienna on a budget?
- For a cheap trip to Vienna, target around €71 - €208 per day per person excluding flights: a hostel or budget hotel, meals at local eateries, public transit, and 1-2 free activities per day. Across a week, plan to land below the lower bound of the global range.
- What's the budget for a weekend in Vienna?
- For a 3-day / 2-night weekend in Vienna, plan around €245 - €662 per person, flights included. Booking 6 to 8 weeks ahead and flying out Thursday evening / back Sunday evening cuts the total by 10-20 % on average.
- Is Vienna an expensive or affordable destination?
- At 74 % of our reference index, Vienna ranks among the moderately priced destinations we track. In practice, a daily budget close to our average, 26 % below it.
- How many days do you need in Vienna?
- Plan 4 days for the essentials. A full week lets you add the surroundings without rushing, for roughly €624 more per person. Beyond ten days the cost grows linearly: each extra night adds about €208, lodging and daily spending included.
- Do you need a car in Vienna?
- Our estimates assume public transport, which covers the centre and its near surroundings. Rental, fuel, parking and tolls are not included: if your route leaves the served area, add them as a separate line.
- How much cash should you bring to Vienna?
- Bring €50 to €100 for the first days, until you see where cards work. When paying or withdrawing, decline the conversion into your home currency that terminals offer: it applies its own rate, consistently worse than your bank's.
At a glance
Wikidata, Wikipedia and Open-Meteo data
- Population
- 2M
- Area
- 415 km²
- Elevation
- 151 m
- Language
- Austrian Sign Language
- Currency
- €
- Time zone
- UTC+01:00
- Founded
- -100
- Avg. July temp.
- 21°
- Avg. Jan. temp.
- 0°
- Rainy days / year
- 116
inhabitants
Euro
16° - 26°
-3° - 3°
About
Vienna in brief
Vienna is the capital, most populous city, and one of the nine states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. Its larger metropolitan area has a population of nearly 2.9 million, representing nearly one-third of the country's population. Vienna is the cultural, economic, and political centre of the country, the fifth-largest city by population in the European Union, and the most populous of the cities on the river Danube.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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