Essentials
- City
- Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Austria
- Population
- Approximately 30,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 100-150 Mbps (Fiber available via A1 or Magenta)
- Currency & Banking
- Euro (EUR). 1 EUR ≈ 1.09 USD. Major banks: Sparkasse Bregenz, Volksbank.
- Tap Water
- Drinkable, high-quality Alpine spring water
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C/F sockets
- SIM Card
- A1, Magenta, and Drei. Prepaid SIMs available at shops like 'BIPA' or 'Libro' for ~€15 (15GB).
- Banking for Expats
- Revolut, N26, and Sparkasse (for local IBAN)
- Accommodation
- Airbnb, Booking.com, and local platforms like 'Ländleanzeiger'
- Cashless Friendly
- Generally yes, but smaller cafés and bakeries may prefer cash (Bargeld).
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb (avg. €90-€130/night), City Apartments Bregenz
- Budget Accommodation
- Jugendherberge Bregenz (Hostel) - approx. €35-€45 per night
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Oberstadt (Old Town) or near the Seepromenade
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Vorkloster (more residential/affordable) or City Center (near train station)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Coworking am See (Seestraße 9) - Day pass approx. €25
- Best Cafe for Work
- Café 21 (Römerstraße 21) - Good Wi-Fi and laptop-friendly atmosphere
- Networking Events
- Digitaler Campus Vorarlberg events; Startup Vorarlberg meetups
- Social Events for Expats
- Expats in Vorarlberg Facebook Group; InterNations Bodensee chapter
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Taxi Bregenz (+43 5574 42222). Uber and Bolt are not widely available.
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- FairTiere (Bike sharing), Donkey Republic (Seasonal), and Radverleih Bregenz
- Best Beach Nearby
- Mili (Historic pier bath) or Bregenz Strandbad (Bodensee)
- Top Regional Airline
- Austrian Airlines (flying from nearby Altenrhein or Friedrichshafen)
- Top International Airline
- Lufthansa, Swiss (via Zurich Airport - ZRH, 1.5 hours away)
- Highway Access
- A14 Rheintal Autobahn (Requires a 'Vignette' toll sticker)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Bregenz Bahnhof
- Public Transport Passes
- VVV (Vorarlberger Verkehrsverbund) - Day ticket approx. €6.00 for the city
- Regional Travel
- ÖBB Trains to Innsbruck, Zurich, and Munich; VVV Buses to Bregenzerwald
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Landeskrankenhaus Bregenz (Carl-Pedenz-Straße 2)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga8 (Anton-Schneider-Straße 19); Vitalium Bregenz
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Good Life Sports Bregenz; Injoy Bregenz (approx. €15-20 day pass)
- Laundry Services
- Bubble & Go (Self-service laundromat in nearby Dornbirn or through local hotels)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Lieferando.at
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Kässpätzle (Cheese noodles with fried onions)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Ganesha (Indian, vegetarian friendly); Das Wirtshaus am See
- Best Dessert Spots
- Konditorei Café Götze (Oldest café in town)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Hofer (Aldi), Lidl, and Spar
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.de, Zalando.at, Shpock
- Grocery Delivery
- Billa Online Shop, Interspar Delivery
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Kornmarktplatz area; Low Life Bar
- Local Brewery
- Mohrenbrauerei (in nearby Dornbirn) or Egger Bier (Bregenzerwald)
- Wine Bars
- Vinothek im Gwandhaus; Weinstube Kinz
- Street Food Stalls
- Wurststand at the Seepromenade (during summer/festivals)
- Popular International Cuisine
- Pizzeria San Marco; Yoshi (Japanese/Sushi)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Bregenzer Festspiele (Lake Stage); Pfänder Mountain
- Museums & Art Venues
- Kunsthaus Bregenz (KUB); Vorarlberg Museum
- Historical Sites
- Martinsturm (St. Martin's Tower - Upper Town)
- Religious Sites
- Pfarrkirche St. Gallus
- Annual Events
- Bregenzer Festspiele (July/August); Bregenzer Spring (Dance)
- Cultural Districts
- Kulturquartier (Kornmarktplatz)
- Theater Venues
- Vorarlberger Landestheater
- Local Markets
- Weekly Market at Kornmarktplatz (Tuesday and Friday mornings)
- Music Scene
- Jazz & Blues festivals; Between (Live music venue)
- Street Art
- Various murals near the railway underpasses/Vorkloster area
- Cooking Classes
- vhs - Volkshochschule Bregenz (offers seasonal cooking courses)
- Art Galleries
- Galerie Lisi Hämmerle; Magazin 4
- Historic Buildings
- Deuring-Schlössle; Altes Rathaus
- Local Heritage
- Alpine/Alemannic culture, traditional 'Tracht' during festivals
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Pfänder Mountain (accessible by cable car); Lake Constance (Bodensee)
- National Parks Nearby
- Bregenzerwald Nature Park (30 mins drive); Hohe Tauern (3 hours)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Bodensee-Radweg (Lake Constance Bike Trail - 270km total)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Pfänder Summit (1,064m) for views over 3 countries
- Birdwatching Locations
- Rheindelta Nature Reserve (Nearby in Hard/Fußach)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Designated BBQ spots along the 'Pipeline' path towards Lochau
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Österreichische Post, DHL Express Point
- Tech Repair Services
- M-Tech (Apple Authorized Service); MediaMarkt Bregenz
- Table Tennis Spots
- Public tables at the Seepromenade and various local parks
- Language Classes
- WIFI Vorarlberg; Volkshochschule (VHS) Bregenz
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Stadtbücherei Bregenz (Rheinstraße 34)
- Community Centers
- Vorkloster Neighborhood Center
- Gaming Lounges
- Area 52 (nearby in Vienna, local scene is mostly private/home based)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Casino Bregenz (Platz der Wiener Symphoniker 3)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €7,500 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €300,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €5,800 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = €232,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €7,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €420,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €5,500 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = €330,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. €6,800 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €544,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. €5,200 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = €416,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 23% (Austrian standard flat rate)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 27.5% (Kapitalertragsteuer)
- Tax System
- Worldwide income basis for residents
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 55% (for income over €1 million)
- VAT
- 20% (Standard); 10% or 13% (Reduced rates)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, EU-compliant strict rules apply
- Property Tax
- Yes, based on assessed value (Einheitswert), generally low annually
- Property Transaction Tax
- 3.5% (Real estate transfer tax) + 1.1% (Land register fee)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No specific 0% nomad tax; standard income tax applies after 183 days residence