Category: Austrian News

No new year is complete without new burdens for car owners. Above all, the increase in the CO₂ price will be felt by Austrians in their wallets—diesel and petrol will be more expensive again. An overview. The two major automobile clubs, ÖAMTC and ARBÖ have already gained an overview of what is in store for motorists at the turn of the year. In a nutshell: The more emissions a vehicle emits, the more expensive it will be. The debate is also focusing on the regional climate bonus, which was introduced…

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Retailers have drawn a first, satisfied balance of the Christmas business. On average, we spend 386 euros on gifts. December is the most important month of the financial year for most Austrian retailers and is considered the “5th quarter” within the industry. Christmas business determines whether the financial year ends successfully or not. In 2024, this crisis applies more than ever, even though this year’s starting position was primarily characterized by loss limitation due to the economic recession, countless bankruptcies, and below-average consumer sentiment. The good news, according to the…

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There are signs of a recovery following the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting standstill in air traffic. For the first time since 2019, Vienna International Airport announced in a press release on Tuesday that it had broken through the 30 million passenger mark again. There were 31.7 million passengers in the record year 2019—the last year before the coronavirus pandemic. However, what pleases the airport is unlikely to trigger euphoria among environmentalists, as there were also protests this year. In 2022, 23.7 million passengers had already been counted again. Last…

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Rental and cell phone contracts are affected not only by inflation here but also by social security contributions. They currently make up around 18 percent of your salary but are capped. The maximum contribution for social insurance is presently 6,060 euros per month. In the coming year, this amount will rise by 6.3 percent to EUR 6,450 due to indexation, resulting in an annualized amount of EUR 90,300 instead of EUR 84,840. This affects not only the social security contributions but also the marginal earnings and additional earnings limits. Despite…

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A new survey shows the average amount Austrians pay for their homes. Once again, this amount has increased significantly.“Apartment rents have continued to rise in the third quarter,” says Statistics Austria Director General Tobias Thomas. The authority has surveyed current residential rents, including operating costs, and again recorded an increase. The average for one of the 1.8 million central rental apartments is 658.5 euros, corresponding to a price per square meter of 9.90 euros. This figure increased by 4.2 percent compared to the previous year and 1.0 percent compared to…

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The increase in care allowance in 2025 will bring an important financial improvement for over 475,000 Austrian recipients. Those affected can look forward to an increase of 4.6 percent, which means up to 95 euros more per month. The Austrian care allowance will be significantly increased from January 1, 2025. The increase affects all seven care levels and is granted regardless of income, as finanz.at reports. The increase is staggered as follows, depending on the care level:Level 1: From 192.00 to 200.80 eurosLevel 2: From 354.00 to 370.30 eurosLevel 3:…

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Now that the high wave of inflation has subsided, the Christ Child is again more generous this year than last year. At least, that is the result of a survey conducted by the Austrian Retail Association.According to the survey, 92% of Austrians plan to give presents to their loved ones this Christmas. They plan to spend an average of 386 euros, 7 percent more than last year. In 2023, the consumer mood was also low in Advent due to inflation, with an average Christmas spend of 360 euros.Despite the increase,…

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Wednesday will often be cloudy. Occasionally, it will clear up, especially in the west, where the sun will shine. On the northern edge of the Alps, however, there will be occasional rain and snow showers. The snow line will be between 500 and 700 m above sea level. The wind will blow weakly to moderately from west to north. Early morning temperatures will be between minus 6 and plus 3 degrees, and afternoon temperatures will be between 2 and 6 degrees. On Thursday, a high fog-like cloud cover will cover…

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After many years at the top, Zurich has taken the lead in this year’s Mercer ranking. Vienna’s fall can be attributed to the decline in the availability of rental properties suitable for international expatriates, as stated in a press release on Tuesday. In the “Quality of Living Ranking 2024” by the global consulting firm, cities worldwide were again assessed according to how much they meet the everyday needs of expats and their families. Factors considered included the political and social environment, medical and health aspects, schools and education, public services,…

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