Austria Budget Breakdown (33 Days)
After Vietnam, Austria was always going to be a shift.
We knew it would be more expensive and that we were going to go over budget.
Different pace, and a much different lifestyle.
Europe, the exchange rate from Australian dollars to euros, car hire, accommodation, buying gear… it all adds up quickly. We’d actually costed it out before we left and expected it to be a decent blowout.
What surprised us was how close we got. In the end, we didn’t go over anywhere near as much as we thought we would. It was actually pretty surprising how tight we kept it, all things considered.
What We Actually Spent
Our total allowable budget for the 33 days in Austria was $10,851 AUD. This figure is a breakdown of our12-month budget divided by 365 days.
Our Total Actual Spend: $11,389 AUD
Over Budget: $239 AUD
That’s where we landed. But there’s a bit more to it than that.
What’s Included (And What’s Not)
The total spend does not include our flight from Hanoi to Vienna.
That flight was $1,651 AUD, and we’ve deliberately kept that separate. It was a big international jump from Southeast Asia to Europe, so we paid for that out of a different “travel pot” rather than tying it to Austria itself.
If you include that flight, then yeah… we’re a long way over.
But for how we’re tracking this trip, those big flights sit outside the country budgets.
Where the Money Went
Accommodation
$2,560 AUD (main stay - Scharnstein)
$537 AUD (Vienna)
We based ourselves in Scharnstein a small village about 15 minutes from the local slopes, which helped keep things a bit more reasonable than staying in a larger ski resort. If you want to read about how we ended up in Scharnstein, you can do that here.
Car Hire & Fuel
$2,259 AUD (car hire)
$126 AUD (fuel)
This was a big chunk, but it made a massive difference.
We could have used the free ski buses, but that would’ve meant working around timetables, waiting around with all the gear, and losing flexibility.
Most days we were loading up the car with kids, skis, boards, boots, helmets, bags… everything. Doing that on a bus every day just didn’t make sense for us.
Ski Passes
$1,594 AUD (family season passes)
We bought full season passes which worked out cheaper than single day passes.
We only used them for about 28 days on the slopes, but technically we could’ve stayed for 3 months and kept skiing. So while it’s a big upfront cost, it gave us full flexibility while we were there.
Food & Daily Living
$3,096 AUD
Food was actually pretty reasonable in a lot of ways.
Most grocery items were around €3 or under unless you were buying something more specific. Meat was a bit more expensive and the range was a lot smaller than what we’re used to in Australia.
We kept it simple. Breakfast at home, packed lunches, snacks and hot chocolates for the slopes, and dinners at home. It was rare that we bought food on the mountain. If we did, it was usually just a hot chocolate or maybe a beer, but beer from the supermarket was ridiculously cheap, so if I was having one, it was usually back at home after the day.
Gear & Equipment
$1,076 AUD
This adds up quickly when you’re starting from scratch in the snow, but we were able to bring our snow clothing from home, borrowed some snowboard and ski gear from our friends and purchased the rest. We bought 2 x gloves, 3 x helmets and goggles, Kia’s ski boots, Maddie’s skis, Emmett’s snowboard and boots.
We’ve already sold Emmett’s snowboard and boots for $300 AUD, which brought us closer to budget, and we’ve still got other gear listed to sell. Which will help pull the budget back even further if they sell, if not, we’ve still done well.
The Small Stuff
Cash withdrawals: $74 AUD
Currency conversion: $68 AUD
We paid for most things on card and were transferring money into our Wise account as we went. Because of how our banking is set up, we are limited to transferring $5,000 AUD at a time, so we are doing it in smaller chunks rather than one hit.
Each of those conversions and cash withdrawals carries a fee, and over time they add up more than you expect.
What It Was Like Living There
We weren’t out doing heaps of big-ticket activities. The slopes were the whole reason we were there, and that’s exactly what we did. Day in, day out, just learning to ski and snowboard as a family. We didn’t fill the days with tours or extra experiences. It was just snow, routine, and staying in one place long enough to settle into it. And that’s what made it work.
We found a rhythm, schooling the kids, working where it fit, heading up to the snow most days. Nothing complicated, just a simple routine that gave the days some structure. And it felt normal, in the middle of what’s otherwise a pretty different way of living.
The Real Takeaway
Austria isn’t cheap. That part was expected. But what stood out was how front-loaded the costs are. Once you’ve paid for accommodation, car, ski passes, and gear, the rest of the month actually settles into a pretty manageable rhythm.
Was It Worth It? Yeah. Easily. It was slightly over budget on paper, but once we factor in selling gear, it’s pretty close, and even if it wasn’t, this is one of those months we’d do again without thinking twice. We all learned new skills, built confidence, and had a million pinch me moments that constantly reminded us why we’re doing this trip.