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Austria vs Estonia: salary & cost of living
Which offers better value? A real Eurostat comparison of take-home pay and cost of living, with each country’s Gera EU Value Index.
Austria vs Estonia: which is better value to live in?
As of 2024, Austria offers better salary-to-cost value than Estonia on the Gera EU Value Index (123.2 vs 85.1, a 38.1-point gap, EU≈100). Austria pays €35,824 net a year versus €19,703 in Estonia; cost-of-living indices are 117.8 and 93.8. Figures from Eurostat (earnings & price levels).
Austria vs Estonia — head to head
| Metric | Austria | Estonia |
|---|---|---|
| Net annual take-home pay | €35,824 | €19,703 |
| PPS earnings index (EU=100) | 132.4 | 82.2 |
| Cost of living (EU=100) | 117.8 | 93.8 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 123.2 | 85.1 |
| EU value rank (of 27) | #2 | #18 |
Compare your salary in Austria and Estonia
Index your take-home pay against the EU norm in both
How far does your salary go in the EU?
Enter a net (take-home) salary and pick two EU countries. We index it against the EU norm using the same real Eurostat earnings and cost-of-living figures behind the Gera EU Value Index.
| Metric | Austria | Belgium |
|---|---|---|
| Your salary, locally | €35,000 | €35,000 |
| Salary value vs EU norm | 120.4 | 120.7 |
| Local cost of living (EU=100) | 117.8 | 117.5 |
| Typical local net pay | €35,824 | €33,481 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 123.2 (#2) | 115.4 (#7) |
On €35,000 a year, your salary stretches further in Belgium — a value index of 120.7 against the EU norm of 100, because its cost of living is 117.5 (EU=100). The same salary indexes 120.4 in Austria and 120.7 in Belgium. The Gera EU Value Index median is 94.9.
Austria vs Estonia — FAQ
- Is Austria or Estonia better value to live in?
- Austria offers better salary-to-cost value on the Gera EU Value Index (123.2 vs 85.1, EU≈100, 2024). Austria pays €35,824 net a year and Estonia €19,703; their cost-of-living indices are 117.8 and 93.8. Figures from Eurostat.
- Where is the salary higher — Austria or Estonia?
- Austria has the higher net annual take-home pay at €35,824 versus €19,703 in Estonia, for a single person at 100% of the average wage (Eurostat earn_nt_net, 2024). A higher salary does not always mean better value once cost of living is taken into account.
- Where is the cost of living lower — Austria or Estonia?
- Estonia has the lower cost of living, with a Gera EU Cost Index of 93.8 versus 117.8 (EU average ≈ 100), built from Eurostat price levels and household energy prices.
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Contains public sector information published by Eurostat (European Commission) and licensed under the Eurostat reuse policy (© European Union — free reuse with attribution). Source: Eurostat — Net annual earnings (earn_nt_net), single person at 100% of average wage (2024 (earnings) · 2024 price levels / 2025-S2 energy (cost of living), published 2025 (Eurostat earnings release)).