The City of Vienna’s Housing Service is the biggest landlord in town. It owns or manages some 220,000 apartment units at more than 5,000 sites throughout the city. One of every four Viennese lives in public housing. Every year, around 10,000 social housing leases are signed in Vienna.
However, there is a two-year residency requirement before one is eligible for public housing, so it is not an option for recently arrived ex-pats in Vienna.
If you are looking for the right housing in Vienna
Start with our interactive Housing Quiz
Who can apply for public housing?
- Austrian, EU/EEA, and Swiss citizens; registered refugees; and third-country nationals who have permanent residency status ([langfristige] Aufenthaltsgenehmigung) in Austria.
- Must be at least 18 years old (may register at age 17).
- Net income must fall below annually adjusted limits.
| Household size | Annual Net Income (2022) | Monthly Net Income (14x/Year) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | €49,080.00 | €3,505.71 |
| 2 people | €73,150.00 | €5,225.00 |
| 3 people | €82,770.00 | €5,912.14 |
| 4 people | €92,390.00 | €6,599.29 |
| for each additional person | + €385.00 | + €5,390.00 |
Applying together for public housing in Vienna
If you’re officially married or in a partnership, you and your spouse/partner must apply together as joint tenants.
Above all, you (and all those who will live in the apartment) must have lived and been registered (with a Meldezettel) for at least two years at your current address in Vienna (children under 2 years old exempted), and not have a second residential address.
Additionally, at least one of the following conditions (Wohnbedarfs-Gründe) must be met:
- Your current living space is insufficient for the number of occupants (e.g., single occupancy smaller than 15 m2, one room for two occupants, two rooms for three occupants…);
- You need barrier-free residence due to medical conditions or old age;
- You are under 30 years old, have lived with your parents for at least 10 years, and have never rented or owned your own apartment;
- You and your spouse/partner currently live in separate households, neither of which is big enough for the two of you together;
- You must give up your current company-provided housing due to no fault of your own (e.g., retirement, disability);
- One or more occupants requires a wheelchair.
How to register for public housing in Vienna
Firstly, you must apply for a Wiener Wohn-Ticket (previously known as Vormerkschein) Registration is possible online [wohnberatung-wien.at] or in person (with free consultation) at:
Wohnberatung Wien
Guglgasse 7-9
1030 Vienna
Telephone consultation is also available: 01/ 24 111
FAQs on social housing in Vienna
This depends on a number of factors, including your preferences for location, apartment size and how many others have priority over you. Once you receive a Wiener Wohn-Ticket, you will eventually be offered an apartment meeting your criteria.
Note: If you reject two such offers, you may be locked out of eligibility for three years!
