Austria vs France
Austria is ahead on taxes, safety, language. France is ahead on housing, healthcare, infrastructure. Full criterion-by-criterion data below.
Verified
Scoreboard
The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.
| Austria | France | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (single, excl. rent) | $1,973/moiCurated by SettleMetric
| ★$1,816/moiCurated by SettleMetric
|
| Rent: 1-bedroom (city avg) | $1,354/moiCurated by SettleMetric
| ★$855/moiLocService — Observatoire national des loyers 2025 (national listing-portal averages) Curated by SettleMetric
|
| Freelancer tax burden | ★29.4%iSettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BMF Einkommensteuer, SVS/GSVG) Curated by SettleMetric
| 34.1%iCurated by SettleMetric
|
| Homicide rate | ★0.85/100kiEurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB) Open data
| 1.28/100kiEurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB) Open data
|
| Internet speed | 32 MbpsiM-Lab NDT country aggregates for Austria Open data
| ★51 MbpsiM-Lab NDT country aggregates for France Open data
|
| English proficiency | ★Very highiEF EPI 2025 — Austria (rank 3/123, score 616, Very High band) Research
| ModerateiEF EPI 2025 — France (score 539, rank 38/123, Moderate band) Research
|
| Private healthcare cost | $1,368/yriCurated by SettleMetric
| ★$821/yriCurated by SettleMetric
|
Verdict
Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.
Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.
A close call for this plan
| Austria | France | |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer tax burden | ★29.4%iSettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BMF Einkommensteuer, SVS/GSVG) Curated by SettleMetric
| 34.1%iCurated by SettleMetric
|
| Internet speed | 32 MbpsiM-Lab NDT country aggregates for Austria Open data
| ★51 MbpsiM-Lab NDT country aggregates for France Open data
|
| English proficiency | ★Very highiEF EPI 2025 — Austria (rank 3/123, score 616, Very High band) Research
| ModerateiEF EPI 2025 — France (score 539, rank 38/123, Moderate band) Research
|
| Cost of living (single, excl. rent) | $1,973/moiCurated by SettleMetric
| ★$1,816/moiCurated by SettleMetric
|
| Domestic delivery quality | ExcellentiÖsterreichische Post AG — self-service / pickup network (post.at) Curated by SettleMetric
| ExcellentiLa Poste / Colissimo (Pickup) and Mondial Relay network figures Curated by SettleMetric
|
Relocating with a partner and school-age children.
Austria fits better — 2 of 3
| Austria | France | |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | ★0.85/100kiEurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB) Open data
| 1.28/100kiEurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB) Open data
|
| Private healthcare cost | $1,368/yriCurated by SettleMetric
| ★$821/yriCurated by SettleMetric
|
| English proficiency | ★Very highiEF EPI 2025 — Austria (rank 3/123, score 616, Very High band) Research
| ModerateiEF EPI 2025 — France (score 539, rank 38/123, Moderate band) Research
|
Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.
Austria fits better — 1 of 3
| Austria | France | |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto regulation | Legal regulatediBMF — Tax treatment of crypto-assets (Ökosoziale Steuerreform, from 1 March 2022) Official source
| Legal regulatediimpots.gouv.fr — Plus-values sur cessions d'actifs numériques (cryptomonnaies); AMF/MiCA CASP regime Official source
|
| Financial control level | LowiEU Anti-Money-Laundering Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 + Austrian FM-GwG Official source
| LowiOfficial source
|
| Freelancer tax burden | ★29.4%iSettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BMF Einkommensteuer, SVS/GSVG) Curated by SettleMetric
| 34.1%iCurated by SettleMetric
|
Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.
A close call for this plan
| Austria | France | |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | ★0.85/100kiEurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB) Open data
| 1.28/100kiEurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB) Open data
|
| Cost of living (single, excl. rent) | $1,973/moiCurated by SettleMetric
| ★$1,816/moiCurated by SettleMetric
|
Details
Taxes
Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profile29.45.134.14.2
What this measures
Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.
Austria
SettleMetric tax engine over official 2026 rules (BMF Einkommensteuer, SVS/GSVG)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme at €60,000 revenue, 0 expenses = Basispauschalierung: 15% expense lump-sum (9,000) → profit 51,000; Grundfreibetrag capped 4,950; SVS 26.83% of 46,050 = 12,355; accident 156; income tax on 33,539 (less 13,539 allowance) = 5,155. Levies 17,666 → 29.44%. The standard actual-expenses route with no expenses runs ~37%, the GmbH all-dividends chain ~44%.
France
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme at €60,000 turnover, single (1 part) = micro-entrepreneur (micro-BNC, scheme fr-micro-bnc): micro-social 25.6% = 15,360; CFP 0.2% = 120; income tax on 66% of turnover (34% allowance) = 39,600 → 11%/30% bands = 4,984. Levies 20,464 → 34.1%. The versement libératoire (28% flat) is blocked at €60k by the RFR cap; a SASU all-dividend chain runs ≈43.7%.
Legalization
Remote-work legalization easeLong stay path6.0Long stay path6.0
What this measures
Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.
Austria
migration.gv.at — Red-White-Red Card: Self-employed Key Workers
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 12, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Notes
- Austria has no dedicated digital-nomad or remote-work visa. The nearest long-stay route for a non-EU location-independent earner is the Rot-Weiß-Rot – Karte for self-employed key workers, but it targets investment/value-adding entrepreneurs (≥ €100,000 investment, job creation, know-how transfer, or regional significance) — a laptop-only freelancer usually meets none of the four criteria. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens simply register (Anmeldebescheinigung) and freelance freely; Ukrainians have immediate self-employment rights under temporary protection. Classified 'long-stay-path'.
France
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 14, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Notes
- France has no dedicated digital-nomad or remote-work visa. The long-stay visitor visa (VLS-TS visiteur) forbids any professional activity, so it does not fit an actively-earning remote worker. Non-EU self-employed freelancers use the 'entrepreneur/profession libérale' long-stay visa or the Passeport Talent (for qualifying founders/investors/highly-skilled). EU/EEA/Swiss citizens work and freelance freely with no permit. Classified 'long-stay-path'.
Cost of living
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rent1,9734.41,8164.8
What this measures
Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.
Austria
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Method
- Konsumerhebung 2024/25 average all-household consumption €4,170/mo ÷ household size 2.17 = €1,922 per-capita; minus per-capita housing rentals (COICOP 041 actual €235 + 042 imputed €379 = €614/hh → €283/capita) = €1,639/mo excl rent; ×1.0562 CPI uplift to mid-2026 ×1.1399 USD = $1,973. Per-capita basis to match the other countries; a single-person household alone spends more (~$2,657).
France
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Method
- INSEE national-accounts household final consumption by COICOP, 2024. Functions sum to €1,543.8B on-territory; subtract housing rentals (actual €77.0B + imputed €220.7B = €297.7B) → €1,246.1B non-rent. Per-capita on the household basis (to match peers): ÷ 31.377M households (Jan 2024) ÷ avg size 2.14 ÷ 12 = €1,546/capita/mo (2024). CPI-uplift mid-2024→mid-2026 ×1.030 = €1,593/mo. ×1.1399 USD/EUR = $1,816/mo. Per-capita basis to match Czechia/Spain/Austria; a lone single-person household spends materially more.
| Category | AustriaiStatistik Austria — Konsumerhebung 2024/25 (all-households per-capita COICOP), CPI-uplifted Curated by SettleMetric
| FranceiINSEE — La consommation des ménages en 2024 (Insee Première 2056, COICOP functional breakdown) Curated by SettleMetric
|
|---|---|---|
| Transport | $315 | $283 |
| Food & non-alcoholic beverages | $268 | $273 |
| Recreation, sport & culture | $264 | $158 |
| Restaurants & hotels | $153 | $191 |
| Insurance & financial services | $109 | $182 |
| Furnishings & household equipment | $142 | $84 |
| Housing (water, energy, maintenance — excl. rent) | — | $185 |
| Clothing & footwear | $96 | $65 |
| Information & communication | $64 | $80 |
| Other goods & services (personal care, social protection, misc.) | — | $138 |
| Alcoholic beverages & tobacco | $51 | $74 |
| Health (out-of-pocket) | $110 | — |
| Other goods & services (incl. personal care) | $105 | — |
| Housing energy (electricity, gas, fuels) | $97 | — |
| Housing maintenance & repair | $95 | — |
| Health (out-of-pocket & non-reimbursed) | — | $85 |
| Housing operating costs (water, waste, common charges) | $78 | — |
| Education | $24 | $16 |
| Total (excl. rent) | $1,971/mo | $1,814/mo |
Housing
Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).
| Apartment | AustriaiSettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Vienna) Curated by SettleMetric
| FranceiSettleMetric — population-weighted average of covered cities (Nice, Paris) Curated by SettleMetric
|
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,254 ($1,126) | $1,464 ($1,196) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,433 ($1,287) | $1,714 ($1,401) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,795 ($1,611) | $2,491 ($2,036) |
| 3-bedroom | $2,387 ($2,143) | $3,481 ($2,846) |
Safety
Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/year0.99.31.38.4
What this measures
Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).
Austria
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (0.61 in 2020 rising to 0.85 in 2024). UNODC/World Bank report ~0.88 for 2023. Very safe by international standards.
France
Eurostat — police-recorded intentional homicide (crim_off_cat, ICCS0101, unit P_HTHAB)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Notes
- Police-recorded intentional homicide, 2024 (value 1.28; 2023 was 1.30). Dataset last updated by Eurostat 2026-04-29; cross-checked against decoding the full crim_off_cat matrix. Moderate by European standards — above the safest EU states (Austria 0.85) but well below the global average.
Healthcare
Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old1,3687.68219.1
What this measures
Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.
Austria
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 12, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Method
- Supplementary Sonderklasse cover (hospital special class + free choice of doctor) on top of the mandatory public ÖGK, healthy 35-year-old: market midpoint ≈ €100/mo = €1,200/yr → ≈ $1,368 at 1.1399 USD/EUR. Range ≈ $889 (basic, with deductible) to ≈ $2,599 (premium).
- Notes
- Austria has mandatory public health insurance (ÖGK, ~7.65% of income, shared) covering everyone in the system; unlike countries with full private replacement plans, the private market here is supplementary (Zusatzversicherung), so this is the top-up Sonderklasse premium, not a full-replacement policy. Adding an outpatient Privatarzt module (€40–145/mo) raises a full package to ≈ €150–250/mo.
France
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Method
- France has universal public health cover (Assurance Maladie, ~70% reimbursement) topped up by a COMPLEMENTARY private 'mutuelle santé' — supplementary, not full-replacement. Mutuelle pricing is age-banded, not health-rated. Market data (goodassur, 48,082 individual quotes, July 2026): age 25–34 avg €68.98/mo, 35–44 avg €90.68/mo; a mid-market intermediate plan for a healthy 35-year-old ≈ €60/mo = €720/yr → $821/yr at 1.1399. Range ≈ €35/mo ($479/yr) to ≈ €90/mo ($1,231/yr).
- Notes
- A supplementary top-up on the mandatory public system, not a full private replacement policy (like Austria's Sonderklasse). ~95%+ of residents carry a mutuelle; employees usually get a subsidised group contract (employer pays ≥50%), so this individually-purchased premium is the situation of a freelancer/self-employed person. Mid-market monthly range ≈ €50–70.
Money & crypto
Crypto regulationLegal regulated8.0Legal regulated8.0
What this measures
Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.
Austria
BMF — Tax treatment of crypto-assets (Ökosoziale Steuerreform, from 1 March 2022)
Official source
- Data as of
- Mar 1, 2022
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Notes
- Holding and trading are legal. Since the eco-social tax reform (effective 1 March 2022), crypto income — current income (staking, lending) and realized capital gains — is taxed as income from capital assets at the special flat rate of 27.5% (§27a EStG), whether withheld as KESt or assessed via return. Crypto acquired before 1 Feb 2021 is grandfathered 'Altbestand'. EU MiCA and DAC8 reporting apply. A clear statutory tax plus the EU regulatory framework make this 'legal-regulated'.
France
impots.gouv.fr — Plus-values sur cessions d'actifs numériques (cryptomonnaies); AMF/MiCA CASP regime
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Notes
- Legal and regulated. Capital gains on digital assets for private/occasional investors are taxed at the flat PFU — 31.4% from 1 Jan 2026 (12.8% income tax + 18.6% social levies; the social part rose from 17.2% when the 2026 Social Security law lifted CSG on capital income 9.2%→10.6%), with the option to elect the progressive scale instead (since 2023). Total annual disposals ≤ €305 are exempt. Crypto-asset service providers authorise as CASPs under the EU MiCA regulation (the former AMF 'PSAN' regime from the 2019 PACTE law), with the AMF as competent authority.
Financial control levelLow10.0Low10.0
What this measures
Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.
Austria
EU Anti-Money-Laundering Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 + Austrian FM-GwG
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Method
- Composite: EUR is fully convertible with no capital/exchange controls (EU/eurozone, free movement of capital under Art. 63 TFEU). Austria has no general national cash-payment cap; a harmonised EU-wide €10,000 cash limit takes effect 10 July 2027 (AMLR 2024/1624, not yet in force). Identity checks apply from €10,000 (CDD from €3,000). Non-resident banking available with standard KYC. Low state control over personal money flows.
France
Official source
- Data as of
- Sep 1, 2015
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Method
- Composite: France uses the euro, fully convertible, with EU free movement of capital and NO exchange/capital controls. The main constraint is a cash-payment cap — a French tax resident may pay at most €1,000 in cash to a professional (since Sept 2015; non-resident tourists up to €15,000); cash between private individuals is unlimited (written proof required above €1,500). The EU Anti-Money-Laundering Regulation adds an EU-wide €10,000 cash cap from 2027. Non-resident banking is available with standard KYC. These are ordinary AML measures, not capital controls → 'low'.
Infrastructure
Domestic delivery qualityExcellent10.0Excellent10.0
What this measures
Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.
Austria
Österreichische Post AG — self-service / pickup network (post.at)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 12, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Method
- Austrian Post runs a very dense last-mile network: ~640 self-service pickup stations, ~120,000 pickup boxes and ~77,500 post boxes, with next-business-day standard parcel delivery; via the myflexbox cooperation (~550 shared stations) about 80% of all Austrian parcels can be received in one locker infrastructure. DHL, DPD, GLS and Hermes also deliver nationwide. Dense, fast, reliable → excellent.
France
La Poste / Colissimo (Pickup) and Mondial Relay network figures
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Method
- France has one of Europe's densest out-of-home parcel networks. Colissimo/Pickup: 26,000+ pickup points (≈17,500 relay points + ≈6,500 automatic lockers, incl. ≈4,500 24/7 Pickup Station lockers). Mondial Relay: ≈17,000 points (≈9,000 lockers + ≈8,000 relais). Plus Relais Colis, Chronopost, DPD, and La Poste home delivery ~6 days/week, with nationwide next-day/2-day standard options → 'excellent'.
International delivery easeMinor friction7.0Minor friction7.0
What this measures
Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.
Austria
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Notes
- Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market). For non-EU imports the EU removed the €150 duty-free threshold and from 1 July 2026 applies a temporary flat customs duty per item on ≤€150 consignments (transitional until 2028); VAT is collected at checkout via IOSS. Predictable but no longer duty-free — the same EU regime as other member states.
France
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Notes
- Intra-EU shipping is frictionless (single market — most European cross-border parcels arrive like domestic ones). For non-EU imports the EU removed the €150 duty-free threshold and from 1 July 2026 applies a temporary flat customs duty per item on ≤€150 consignments (VAT already collected at checkout via IOSS since 2021). Predictable but no longer duty-free — the same EU regime as other member states.
Internet speedMbps, median fixed download31.52.751.45.1
What this measures
Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.
Austria
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Austria
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Method
- Median of the 2023 daily country medians (2.78M download tests — 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API; monthly medians ranged ~28.6–33.3 Mbps).
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Austrian fixed broadband commonly markets 100–1000 Mbps) — comparable only within this criterion.
France
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for France
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2023
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Method
- Median of the 344 daily country-median download values for FR in 2023 (~10.47M download tests; daily medians ranged 24.9–61.1 Mbps). M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style or advertised figures (French fibre commonly markets 300–1000+ Mbps) — comparable only within this criterion. 2023 is the latest full year in M-Lab's public stats API.
- Notes
- France has extensive FTTH fibre coverage; the M-Lab single-stream median understates real-world line speeds and is used only for cross-country comparability on one consistent method.
Language
English proficiencyVery high9.0Moderate5.0
What this measures
Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.
Austria
EF EPI 2025 — Austria (rank 3/123, score 616, Very High band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 12, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): Austria ranked #3 globally and #1 in Europe, score 616 (Very High / C1 band). English is broadly workable in Vienna and the tech, service and academic sectors; German remains the sole official language and matters for administration and integration requirements.
France
EF EPI 2025 — France (score 539, rank 38/123, Moderate band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 14, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI 2025 (attribution: EF Education First): France score 539, global rank 38, 'Moderate' band (EF cutoffs: Moderate 500–549), up 11 places and +15 points vs 2024. English is workable in Paris tech/expat circles and tourism-facing Côte d'Azur, but French is essential for administration, most workplaces, and daily life — France sits below the very-high Northern-European tier.
Deep dives: taxes in Austria ·taxes in France ·net-income calculator