Where flats are listed
Almost every private rental in Vienna appears on one of five portals: willhaben (the largest), ImmoScout24, immowelt, derStandard Immobilien and, for shared flats, WG-Gesucht. Many flats are listed on several at once, often at different times. Students will find dorms, WG tips and the Wohn-Ticket in the student housing guide.
Checking all five by hand several times a day is exactly what makes flat-hunting exhausting. That is the job FlatDrop does for you: it checks every portal about every 10 minutes, merges duplicates and sends only what fits your search.
When new flats appear
Our data shows about 410 new rental listings in Vienna every day. Most go online between 09:00 and 19:00, so that is when it pays to be ready to answer within minutes.
Weekends are quieter, but the flats that do appear then get fewer replies, a small advantage if you check on Saturday and Sunday too.
What a flat costs right now
The median asking gross rent for a flat in Vienna is €22.2 per square metre (as of 27 October 2026), so a typical 60 m² flat costs about €1,330 a month including running costs. The spread between districts is large; see rent by district for every Bezirk.
Always compare gross rent (Bruttomiete, including Betriebskosten and VAT). Ads that show only net rent look cheaper than they are.
More numbers, such as how long flats stay online and how rents are moving, are in the market data.
Which district suits you?
The cheapest place to rent right now is Simmering, the most expensive Innere Stadt. Cheaper is not automatically better: your commute, the U-Bahn and the area matter just as much. Which district fits your budget, studies or family is in the guide on how to choose a district, and a ranking shows the cheapest districts at a glance.
What to send the landlord
- One detail from the ad, so it is clear you read it (the balcony, the courtyard, the move-in date).
- Who moves in, your job or studies and since when, and that you can pay the rent.
- When you can move in and when you can come to a viewing.
- Offer documents up front: payslips (last 3), employment contract or enrolment, KSV credit report if you have one.
- Keep it short: five to eight sentences, polite, in German if you can. FlatDrop drafts this message for you and translates it so you know what it says.
The viewing: what to bring
Come with a complete folder: ID, your last three payslips or other proof of income, your current Meldezettel and, if asked, a KSV credit report. Ask for the exact gross rent, whether it is a main lease or a sublet, and about deposit and Ablöse. The full checklist is in the viewing guide.
Red flags and scams
- A fixed term (Befristung) under five years from a business landlord, or under three years from a private one (rules since 2026).
- Ablöse for an old kitchen or furniture at a high price, or for 'the key'.
- A broker commission charged to you (since July 2023 the person who hired the agent usually pays).
- Deposit, ID copies or a 'reservation fee' asked for before a viewing, an owner abroad sending keys by post, payment via Airbnb or Booking: these are scams. Never pay before you have seen the flat and signed.
Check the contract
Before you sign, look closely at these points:
- Length: under the Tenancy Act a fixed term must run at least five years with a business landlord, three with a private one.
- Amount: in old buildings the rent is capped by law. If your rent is too high, you can have it checked for free, even after moving in.
- Index clause: since 2026 it may raise the rent only once a year on 1 April, and inflation above 3 % counts only half (rent cap).
- Deposit: up to three gross monthly rents is customary. Pay it only after signing and only to an account in the landlord's or agent's name.
After moving in
- Register your address within three days, free at any Meldeservice in Vienna or online with ID Austria.
- Photograph every room and note damage in a handover protocol (Übergabeprotokoll) signed by both sides; that makes getting the deposit back easier.
- Check every index rise: it may only come on 1 April.
- Compare your rent with current listings in your district in the rent check.
Council flats, subsidised flats, housing benefit
Besides the private market, Vienna has council flats (Gemeindewohnungen) and subsidised flats. For council flats and many subsidised ones you need a Wohn-Ticket, which requires among other things at least two years of uninterrupted main residence in Vienna. Since 22 September 2026 these flats have been allocated by bonus points. If the rent is high compared with your income, the Wohnbeihilfe housing benefit can help.
New in Vienna or from Ukraine?
With the ID card for displaced persons (Ausweis für Vertriebene) you can rent a flat like anyone else. Which documents help when you don't have a long income history yet is in the guide for people from Ukraine. FlatDrop writes your enquiry in German and shows you the translation.