Austria is a beautiful country that has traditionally been visited by people from the Netherlands who go on winter sports. Many of these people eventually also went to live in Austria and there are still many people who have decided in recent years to emigrate to AustriaThis beautiful country has much more to offer than just a wonderful winter sports holiday in the high mountains.
Living in Austria
Have you taken the plunge and decided to live in Austria? There are probably many different reasons for this. Are you sufficiently prepared? Have you thought about an affordable moving company, for example? We will discuss this and many other tips in this article, so read on.
Why are more Dutch people moving to Austria?
We know that you want to move to Austria and we also know that you know that Austria has a lot of advantages to offer. You don't just have to think of the beautiful mountains, but another important aspect for emigrating to the country is that the country has its affairs very well organized. Think for example of public transport, health insurance system or the social safety net in the country.
European Union (EU)
Austria is a European country that is a member of the European Union. This of course makes it easier for Dutch people to emigrate to. This way you can easily go and work there without needing a special residence permit.
The beautiful nature in the country
When you are going to live and work in Austria, it is of course also important to be able to enjoy your free time. The country is known abroad for its beautiful nature and it is therefore a paradise for true nature lovers. In spring and summer you can enjoy the beautiful high mountains where you can walk in the beautiful valleys. In winter, these mountains are covered in snow, which is why many people travel to the country to ski in one of the world-famous ski areas. The après-ski in the country is also known worldwide as one of the best. Furthermore, the beautiful Alps with clean air are of course also very good for your health.
The Austrian culture
In order to tell you more about the culture in Austria, it is important to start with a small history lesson. The Republic of Austria has been a powerful state for years and actually centuries. You can still see this today in the strong mentality and tough upbringing of Austrians. Much further in the past, the country, like other European countries, was of course also part of the Roman Empire and before that, the culture has many influences from the Romans to this day.
Furthermore, Austria has always considered science and art to be very important. The country has made an enormous contribution to world culture. Think of the capital Vienna, for example, where world-famous works of art have been created over the centuries. In terms of music, Austria is of course also represented by Mozart, who was born in the city of Salzburg, Beethoven and Strauss. These musical talents are still worshipped worldwide to this day.
The mentality of Austrians
In the Netherlands, but also in other countries, Austria is often compared to Germany. Yes, they have the language in common, but not much else. The language is also slightly different due to local dialects. Austrian is known to be a bit softer and more melodious than High German. Austrians are also different from the average German. The mentality is different. In Austria, people are a lot more relaxed than in northern Germany. People in the country don't make a big deal out of things so quickly and the cliché of easy-going Austrians comes from here. People in Austria are very polite and reserved. If you look at the Germans, they are often a bit more direct and colder. Harmony and friendliness are therefore very important in Austria.
The language in Austria
The official language in Austria is German. When you go on holiday to Austria you can get by with it, but when you stay there for a longer period of time you will notice that your knowledge of German is not very useful. In Austria, they speak Austro-Bavarian. You should never tell an Austrian that they speak German. The local dialects, pronunciations and words differ greatly from High German, which means that you will often not understand the language at first. As preparation, it might be useful to take an Austrian-German course if you are going to work there. This is strongly recommended.
The food in Austria
When you emigrate to Austria, it is of course important to be well informed about Austrian cuisine. In Austria, people generally always eat hearty food. Think of meat, potatoes and pasta. Vegetables are often processed in typical Austrian salads.
The breakfast – frühstück
Breakfast in Austria is not very extensive. It mainly consists of white hard rolls. These rolls are actually what we call 'kaisserbroodjes' in the Netherlands. In Austria, however, they are called 'semmel'. These rolls are often eaten with a slice of meat or cheese. Of course, a lot of milk is also drunk.
Lunch – mittagmahl or mittagessen
For lunch, a warm meal is usually eaten in Austria. Perhaps you have visited mountain huts during your holidays where these meals are served. A cold lunch is also quite popular among Austrians. This is then really a plate full of butter, meat and cheese. This plate is also called the 'jause' and is sometimes eaten as a snack around 16:00.
The dinner – afternoon snack
Austrians attach great importance to their evening meal. A 3-course meal is almost always eaten. The starter is almost always a soup. In Austria this is almost always a clear broth, but the somewhat thicker soups such as the 'goulash soup' are also popular. The main course always consists of meat with potatoes or pasta. The world-famous schnitzels are of course eaten often. Furthermore, dessert is very important to Austrians and after the meal, for example, an apfelstrudel is often eaten.
Cost of living
It is often said that Austria is a bit more expensive than the Netherlands. To give you some examples:
- Cheese is about 17% more expensive than in the Netherlands
- Rice is about 4.8% more expensive than in the Netherlands
- Tomatoes are about 20% more expensive there than in the Netherlands
- Bananas are 50% more expensive there than in the Netherlands
- For wine you pay 17% more
- You pay about the same amount for bread
Buying a house in Austria
For many Dutch winter sports enthusiasts who have fallen in love with a ski area, it is often a dream to buy a house there one day. Perhaps you have often visited real estate agents to have a sneaky look. We completely understand this. But is it actually easy to buy a house in Austria? This is certainly possible, but you must adhere to the rules.
In Austria, when buying a house, the zoning plan is very important. You have the 'zweitwohnsitz', the 'hauptwohnsitz', and the 'gewerbliche'. Each zoning plan has its own conditions and rules.
Finally..
As you have read, it is quite a change to live in Austria, but that is a move to always, right? The longer you live and work in Austria, the more you get used to everything in the country. Are you curious about what life is like in Austria? Then you might choose to stay in hotels for a longer period of time or travel back and forth often. Especially for people who have often visited the country in high seasons, it is wise to visit the country in the low seasons as well.
Do you have any questions?
Do you have any questions or do you perhaps need some more information regarding moving to Austria? Then we would like to refer you to the other articles on our website. There you can find a lot more information about emigrating to Austria.
