Vienna

Vienna is one of Europe's largest student cities with approximately 190,000 students, making it the third-largest student market on the continent after London and Paris.

The city is home to world-renowned institutions and benefits from Austria's policy of low tuition fees (€363.36/semester for EU students), which drives enormous demand. International students make up roughly 28% of total enrollment.

Despite having ~24,000 PBSA beds — more than most CEE cities — the provision rate sits at just 12.6%, leaving a structural gap of over 100,000 beds.

Vienna hosts 22 universities and colleges, led by:

• University of Vienna — 85,000 students (one of Europe's largest)
• Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) — 25,000 students
• WU Vienna (Economics & Business) — 22,000 students
• Medical University of Vienna — 8,000 students
• University of Applied Arts / Academy of Fine Arts — 3,500 students combined

The sheer scale of Vienna's student population — nearly 200,000 — creates structural demand that outpaces supply across all segments.

Vienna is the most expensive market in our CEE coverage, with shared rooms averaging €580/month and private studios at €850/month.

Key metrics:

• YoY rent increase: +4.2% (moderate by regional standards, regulated market)
• Austria's rent regulation (Mietrechtsgesetz) caps increases on older buildings
• New-build and PBSA rents are market-rate and rising faster (~7-8% YoY)
• Student dormitory (Studentenheim) rates: €350-500/month with long waitlists

Supply: Vienna has the deepest PBSA market in CEE (~24,000 beds) but still serves only 12.6% of demand. Waitlists for affordable Studentenheime exceed 6 months.

Vienna has been ranked the world's most livable city multiple times. For students, it offers:

Cost of living: Budget of €900-1,200/month including rent. More expensive than Budapest or Riga, but subsidized by excellent public transport (€75/semester ticket for students).

Popular student districts:

• 9th (Alsergrund): University quarter, close to University of Vienna and Medical University
• 6th/7th (Mariahilf/Neubau): Trendy, cafés, nightlife, near WU and TU Wien
• 10th (Favoriten): Most affordable, multicultural, good transit links
• 2nd (Leopoldstadt): Near Prater park, growing student community