Vienna Districts Guide for Renters: Where to Live in All 23 Bezirke

Vienna is divided into 23 districts — Bezirke — arranged in a rough spiral outward from the historic Innere Stadt. Each one has a distinct character, price level, transport profile, and social mix. The difference between living in the 7th and the 15th can be greater than the difference between living in two entirely separate European cities, even though those districts share a border.

This guide profiles every major district group to help you decide where to focus your search. For each group, we cover the character, typical rental costs (based on available 2025 market data), who it suits, and what the transport situation looks like.

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How to Read Vienna's Numbering

Vienna's districts are numbered 1 through 23, with the 1st (Innere Stadt) at the centre and the numbers generally spiralling outward clockwise. Districts 1–9 form the inner ring and are generally within or just outside the Gürtel (a busy inner ring road that roughly marks the boundary of the old city). Districts 10–23 are the outer districts, ranging from gentrifying to suburban.

The Gürtel is a useful mental dividing line: everything inside it is generally more expensive, denser, and better served by public transport.

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Districts 1–3: Premium and Historic

1st Bezirk — Innere Stadt

Character: The historic heart of Vienna, within the old city walls. Stephansdom, the Hofburg, the Opera, and most of Vienna's major tourist sights are here. The streets are beautiful, the buildings imposing, and the atmosphere formal. It is not a district many people actually live in — it is primarily commercial and tourist — but a small residential population exists in the side streets and upper floors.

Average rent: The most expensive in Vienna, at approximately €22–€24 per square metre net as of 2025. A 60 m² flat approaches €1,320–€1,440 net before operating costs.

Best for: Diplomats, senior executives, or anyone whose daily life genuinely requires proximity to the historic centre. Not practical as a base for young professionals or families.

Transport: Excellent. U1, U3, and multiple tram lines. Walking distance to virtually everything in the inner city.

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2nd Bezirk — Leopoldstadt

Character: Leopoldstadt has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. The northern part of the district — the Karmeliterviertel, centred on the Karmelitermarkt — has become one of Vienna's most desirable neighbourhoods, with independent coffee shops, natural wine bars, and a strong sense of neighbourhood community. The southern part near Praterstern and the train station is more mixed and more affordable. The Prater park and its famous Riesenrad Ferris wheel are here.

Average rent: €14–€18 per square metre in the Karmeliterviertel; €11–€13 near Praterstern.

Best for: Young professionals, internationals who want central Vienna without paying for the 7th or 8th. Growing families who want park access.

Transport: U1 (Praterstern, Vorgartenstrasse, Donaumarina) and U2 (Taborstrasse, Schottenring). Very well connected.

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3rd Bezirk — Landstrasse

Character: Landstrasse is one of Vienna's most underrated districts. It contains the Belvedere palace and gardens, the diplomatic quarter (many embassy buildings are here), and a dense residential neighbourhood that is quieter and more family-oriented than the tourist-heavy inner districts. The Rochusmarkt is a smaller but excellent covered market. The eastern part near the Wien-Mitte transport hub is busier.

Average rent: €15–€17 per square metre.

Best for: Diplomats, professionals working at international organisations nearby, families who want the convenience of central Vienna without the noise of the 1st or 7th.

Transport: U3 (Rochusgasse, Kardinal-Nagl-Platz), U4 (Stadtpark), S-Bahn and long-distance trains at Wien-Mitte/Landstrasse.

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Districts 4–6: Young Professionals and Naschmarkt Culture

4th Bezirk — Wieden

Character: Wieden is small and densely packed with good cafés, wine bars, and residential buildings. It borders the Naschmarkt on its western edge (shared with the 6th). It has a quiet, settled residential feel — less trendy than the 7th, more affordable than the 1st. The streets behind the Karlskirche (Karlsplatz) are particularly pleasant.

Average rent: €14–€16 per square metre.

Best for: Couples, professionals who want to be central and quiet without paying top-tier prices.

Transport: U1 (Taubstummengasse), U4 (Karlsplatz), tram lines along Wiedner Hauptstrasse.

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5th Bezirk — Margareten

Character: Margareten is one of the most densely populated districts in Austria. It has a working-class and immigrant character that is slowly shifting as younger residents price out of the 4th and 7th. The streets are functional rather than scenic but the Margaretenplatz and some of the side streets in the Reinprechtsdorfer area have charm. Rents are lower than the adjacent 4th.

Average rent: €13–€15 per square metre.

Best for: Young professionals and students who want central access at below-average prices. A good entry point for expats on a budget.

Transport: U4 (Pilgramgasse), U1 (Taubstummengasse at the border with the 4th), multiple tram lines on the Gürtel.

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6th Bezirk — Mariahilf

Character: Mariahilf contains the eastern section of Mariahilfer Strasse — Vienna's main pedestrian shopping street — and the Naschmarkt on its southern edge. It has a lively, urban energy. The area around Esterhazygasse and Fillgradergasse is particularly sought after. Nightlife options are abundant.

Average rent: €14–€16 per square metre.

Best for: Young professionals, those who want urban convenience, proximity to the city centre, and good nightlife and dining.

Transport: U3 (Neubaugasse, Zieglergasse), U4 (Pilgramgasse on the border with the 5th), tram lines.

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Districts 7–9: Creative, Academic, and Cultural

7th Bezirk — Neubau

Character: Neubau is arguably Vienna's most fashionable district. The Spittelberg quarter has well-preserved Biedermeier buildings and a weekend market. The MuseumsQuartier — the cultural complex containing the Kunsthalle, mumok, and Leopold Museum — sits on its eastern border. Independent shops, design studios, and cafés line every other street. Neubau is genuinely walkable and very pleasant to live in.

Average rent: €15–€18 per square metre. Among the higher rates in Vienna outside the 1st.

Best for: Creative professionals, couples without children, anyone who values proximity to culture, nightlife, and Vienna's independent food scene.

Transport: U3 (Neubaugasse, Zieglergasse on the southern edge). Bus and tram connections across the district.

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8th Bezirk — Josefstadt

Character: Josefstadt is Vienna's smallest district and one of its most elegant. It has a quiet, bourgeois character — wide streets, well-maintained Gründerzeit buildings, and a genteel residential atmosphere. The Josefstädter Strasse is its main artery, with good cafés and independent shops. It borders the Rathaus (Vienna's City Hall) and the Volksoper. The 8th has very little nightlife of its own but is well-positioned for everywhere that does.

Average rent: €15–€17 per square metre.

Best for: Professionals and established couples who want a quieter central base. Popular with older expats and those working near the University of Vienna or AKH.

Transport: U2 (Rathaus), tram lines on Lerchenfelder Strasse and Josefstädter Strasse.

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9th Bezirk — Alsergrund

Character: Alsergrund is Vienna's university and hospital district. The AKH — the Allgemeines Krankenhaus, one of Europe's largest hospitals and a major university teaching hospital — dominates the western part. The rest of the district is densely residential with a student and academic population. The Strudlhofgasse and Liechtensteinstrasse areas are charming. The Servitenkirche and its small market are neighbourhood institutions.

Average rent: €14–€16 per square metre.

Best for: Medical staff, university employees, postgraduate researchers, and students who want to be walking distance from the AKH or University of Vienna.

Transport: U6 (Alser Strasse, Michelbeuern-AKH), tram lines on the Gürtel and inner streets.

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Districts 10–13: Emerging, Family-Friendly, and Green

10th Bezirk — Favoriten

Character: Favoriten is Vienna's largest district by population and has one of its most diverse communities. Historically working-class, it has been changing as rising rents in the inner districts push younger renters outward. The streets around the Reumannplatz and the Laaer Berg area are increasingly gentrified. The area near the main train station (Wien Hauptbahnhof, which sits at the border between the 4th and 10th) is the subject of significant new development.

Average rent: €11–€13 per square metre — among the more affordable in the city.

Best for: Families, budget-conscious renters, those working near Wien Hauptbahnhof. Good value for space.

Transport: U1 (from Reumannplatz to Oberlaa, the newest extension). Good tram connections. Direct access to Hauptbahnhof.

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12th Bezirk — Meidling

Character: Meidling is a functional, unpretentious residential district immediately south of the Gürtel. It has a suburban feel despite being close to the inner city. Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens sit on its western border, providing an exceptional green space. The Meidlinger Markt is a neighbourhood institution.

Average rent: €12–€14 per square metre.

Best for: Families, anyone working in the south of the city. Good transport connections make it practical without being glamorous.

Transport: U4 (Schönbrunn, Hietzing), U6 (Meidling Hauptstrasse, Am Schöpfwerk), regional trains at Wien Meidling.

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13th Bezirk — Hietzing

Character: Hietzing is one of Vienna's most desirable outer districts — green, quiet, and home to some of the city's finest Jugendstil villas. It has a well-off residential character. Schönbrunn Palace and the Lainzer Tiergarten (a large forested nature reserve within the city limits) are both in or adjacent to the 13th.

Average rent: €14–€16 per square metre.

Best for: Families with children, those working in the western suburbs, anyone who prioritises green space and quiet over urban density.

Transport: U4 (Hietzing, Ober St. Veit), tram lines.

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Districts 15–17: Affordable and Transitional

15th Bezirk — Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus

Character: The 15th sits along the Gürtel in the west of the city and has a rough-around-the-edges character that is slowly changing. It has a large immigrant community, a mix of Gründerzeit blocks and social housing, and rents that are significantly lower than the adjacent 6th and 7th districts. The Westbahnhof (one of Vienna's main rail stations) is in the 15th.

Average rent: €11–€13 per square metre.

Best for: Budget renters, those who need Westbahnhof access, students and young professionals priced out of the inner districts.

Transport: U3 (Westbahnhof, Johnstrasse, Schweglerstrasse), U6 (Burggasse-Stadthalle), tram lines along the Gürtel.

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16th Bezirk — Ottakring

Character: Ottakring has been the subject of a slow but steady gentrification. The Brunnenviertel — the neighbourhood around the Brunnenmarkt, one of Vienna's longest street markets — is lively and increasingly sought after. The district has a strong Turkish and Balkan community. Rents remain lower than the inner districts.

Average rent: €11–€13 per square metre.

Best for: Young professionals, creatives who want space and community at lower cost. Increasingly popular with those who want a neighbourhood feel.

Transport: U3 (Ottakring, the western terminus), tram 2, 44.

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17th Bezirk — Hernals

Character: Hernals is quieter and more residential than Ottakring to its south. It has some fine old buildings, a slower pace, and lower rents. The Hernalser Hauptstrasse is the main shopping street. Relatively limited nightlife but peaceful.

Average rent: €11–€13 per square metre.

Best for: Families, older renters, those who prioritise quiet over convenience. Underappreciated by most newcomers.

Transport: Tram 43, tram 44, good U-Bahn access at the borders with neighbouring districts.

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Districts 19, 21, and 22: Suburban and Along the Danube

19th Bezirk — Döbling

Character: Döbling is Vienna's premium suburban district — the Grünzing and Nussdorf areas are known for Heurigen (traditional wine taverns), vineyards within the city limits, and expansive villas. Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg, the hills above the city, are walking distance from parts of the district. It is green, quiet, and expensive.

Average rent: €17–€20 per square metre.

Best for: Families with children who want a house-like setting within the city, senior professionals, those who value green space and quiet above all else.

Transport: U4 (Heiligenstadt), tram D, tram 37/38/39/40/41.

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21st Bezirk — Floridsdorf

Character: Floridsdorf sits north of the Danube. It is a large, spread-out suburban district with a mix of older single-family homes, social housing blocks, and newer developments. It lacks the density and culture of the inner city but is significantly more affordable. The recently extended U6 line has improved its connectivity.

Average rent: €11–€12 per square metre.

Best for: Families who need space, those who work in the north of the city, buyers rather than renters (the area has significant owner-occupied stock).

Transport: U6 (Floridsdorf, Neue Donau, Jedlersdorf), S-Bahn at Floridsdorf.

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22nd Bezirk — Donaustadt

Character: Donaustadt is Vienna's largest district by area and contains the Donaucity (Vienna's modern business district with UN headquarters), the Alte Donau recreational area, and large residential developments that have grown rapidly in the past decade. It has a modern, suburban character with excellent amenities but limited old-city character.

Average rent: €12–€15 per square metre, with premium prices in Donaucity.

Best for: Those working at the UN Vienna or in the Donaucity business area. Families who want new-build quality with outdoor space.

Transport: U1 (Kaisermuehlen-VIC, Alte Donau, Kagran, Leopoldau — the extended line).

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Choosing Your District

The right district depends on three things: where you work, how much you want to spend, and what kind of daily environment you want around you. Most expats start by looking in the 2nd, 7th, or 9th and work outward from there as budget dictates.

A practical approach: identify two or three districts that fit your commute and budget, visit them at different times of day and week before committing to viewings, and pay attention to how the street feels to walk on at 8am and 10pm. Vienna rewards this kind of slow attention.

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