Relocation Apartment in Vienna: Your Temporary Home While You Settle In

Why You Need Temporary Housing When Relocating to Vienna

Moving to a new city - especially a new country - is one of life's most demanding transitions. Whether you are relocating for a corporate assignment, starting a new job, joining a partner, or beginning a fresh chapter, the first weeks in Vienna will be filled with bureaucratic appointments, apartment viewings, and orientation. The last thing you need is the stress of living out of a hotel room with no kitchen, no workspace, and a daily rate that drains your relocation budget.

Vienna's rental market moves at its own pace. Unlike cities where you can sign a lease within days, finding a permanent apartment in Vienna typically takes two to six weeks. Landlords expect in-person viewings, and the best flats go quickly. You need a comfortable, affordable base from which to conduct your search - somewhere that feels like a home rather than a transit point.

A furnished relocation apartment bridges the gap between arrival and permanent settlement. It provides the essentials - a proper kitchen, reliable internet, clean linens, and enough space to live normally - at a fraction of extended-stay hotel rates.

What Is Included in a Relocation Apartment

At Old Vienna Apartments on Herminengasse 12 in the Leopoldstadt district, every unit comes fully equipped for daily life. This is not a stripped-down rental with a hotplate and a borrowed towel. Here is what you can expect:

Kitchen: Full-sized refrigerator, stovetop, oven or microwave, kettle, toaster, coffee maker, pots, pans, dishes, cutlery, glasses, and basic cooking utensils. You can prepare complete meals from your first night.

Bathroom: Shower, towels, hairdryer, and toiletries to get you started. Fresh towels and linens are provided at regular intervals.

Bedroom and living area: Comfortable beds with quality linens, wardrobe or closet space, a dining table, and seating. The larger apartments (Quartett and Superior) offer separate living areas where you can work, read, or simply decompress after a day of bureaucratic appointments.

WiFi: High-speed wireless internet is included at no extra charge. This is essential for relocation - you will spend hours searching for apartments on willhaben.at and Immoscout24, emailing landlords, video-calling your employer's HR department, and staying connected with family and friends back home.

Utilities: Electricity, heating, water, and building costs are all included. There are no surprise bills at the end of your stay.

The Vienna Apartment Hunting Process

Finding a permanent rental in Vienna requires patience and preparation. The primary platforms are willhaben.at (Austria's largest classifieds site), ImmobilienScout24.at, and derStandard.at/Immobilien. Many landlords also work with real estate agents (Makler), who charge a broker's fee - though recent legislation has shifted more of these costs to landlords.

When you find a listing that interests you, you contact the landlord or agent to arrange a viewing. Competition for well-priced apartments in central districts is fierce, so respond quickly and present yourself professionally. Landlords typically ask for proof of income (three recent payslips or an employment contract), a copy of your ID or passport, and sometimes a Schufa-equivalent credit check (KSV Auskunft).

Having a temporary base in Leopoldstadt puts you in an excellent position for apartment hunting across the city. The Schottenring station, just one minute from Old Vienna Apartments, connects you to the U2 line (running through the 2nd district, Praterstern, the business districts, and across the Danube) and the U4 line (serving Schwedenplatz, Karlsplatz, Schoenbrunn, and Hütteldorf). You can reach almost any viewing in Vienna within 20 to 30 minutes.

Registration and Bureaucratic Requirements

Austrian law requires everyone - including visitors staying longer than three days - to register their address through the Meldezettel (registration form). For short-term accommodation, the property host typically handles this. When you move into your permanent apartment, you will need to register your new address at the local Meldeservice office within three days.

Beyond address registration, relocating to Vienna involves several administrative steps. If you are an EU/EEA citizen staying longer than three months, you need to register a Certificate of Registration (Anmeldebescheinigung) at the MA 35 immigration office. Non-EU citizens require a residence permit, which should ideally be arranged before arrival.

Other early tasks include opening an Austrian bank account (Erste Bank, Raiffeisen, and Bank Austria are common choices), obtaining a tax number (Steuernummer), registering for health insurance (e-card through the ÖGK), and - if applicable - enrolling children in school or Kindergarten. Having a stable, comfortable apartment from which to manage all of this makes the process significantly less overwhelming.

Getting to Know Leopoldstadt: Your First Neighbourhood

The 2nd district is an ideal landing spot for newcomers. Leopoldstadt sits between the Danube Canal and the Danube River, offering a unique mix of urban energy and green space. The Augarten, a Baroque park with the oldest garden in Vienna, is a ten-minute walk from Herminengasse. The Prater - not just the amusement park, but six square kilometers of meadows, woods, and cycling paths - is accessible in minutes by metro.

The Karmelitermarkt, one of Vienna's most beloved neighbourhood markets, operates daily (except Sunday) about a ten-minute walk from the apartments. Here you will find fresh produce, artisan bread, cheese, olives, prepared foods, and several small restaurants and cafes. Shopping at the market is both practical and a wonderful way to begin feeling at home in the city.

Leopoldstadt also has excellent infrastructure for daily life: pharmacies, doctors' offices, banks, post offices, gyms, and supermarkets are all within easy walking distance. The district has a growing international community, which means you will find English-speaking services and social groups more readily than in some outer districts.

Budget Planning for Your Relocation Period

Relocation budgets vary widely, but here is a realistic breakdown for temporary housing in Vienna:

A Duett apartment (for a single professional or couple) at €45 per night works out to roughly €1,350 for a 30-day stay. A Comfort apartment at €60 per night is €1,800 monthly. The Quartett (ideal for a small family) costs €70 per night, or €2,100 per month. The Superior at €90 per night, or €2,700 monthly, gives larger families or those who need a home office genuine room to breathe.

Compare this with extended-stay hotel rates in central Vienna, which typically range from €100 to €200 per night for a basic room without kitchen - €3,000 to €6,000 per month. The apartment option is not merely cheaper; it is fundamentally more livable. You cook your own meals, do your own laundry, and maintain the daily rhythms that keep you grounded during a major life change.

Practical Tips for a Smooth Relocation

Start your apartment search before you arrive. Create alerts on willhaben.at and ImmobilienScout24 for your preferred districts, size, and budget. Respond to listings immediately - desirable apartments in the 2nd through 9th districts receive dozens of inquiries within hours.

Learn a few phrases in German, even if your workplace operates in English. Landlords and municipal offices appreciate the effort, and it smooths many interactions. A simple "Guten Tag, ich interessiere mich für die Wohnung" goes a long way.

Budget for a security deposit (Kaution) on your permanent apartment - typically three months' rent. This is a significant upfront cost, so factor it into your relocation finances from the start.

Finally, give yourself permission to take time. Vienna consistently ranks as one of the world's most livable cities, but it reveals its charm gradually. Use your first weeks not just for paperwork but for exploration: walk along the Danube Canal, sit in a traditional coffee house, ride the tram around the Ringstrasse, and visit a Heuriger wine tavern. You are not just finding an apartment - you are building a life.