Hi John. Like you I had never really considered moving out here until the interviewer offered me the job. I actually moved just to the the German side of the border rather than Austria but I must say after three and a half years I love it here, and have no plans to return to the UK.
My German language is still sh1t but I get by, in most major towns English is well understood. I spoke not a word of German when we moved here. The weather is fantastic in the summer and very snowy in the winter, which actually can be really depressing. To overcome the dread of long cold winters we started skiing and it now makes the winters as much fun as the summers. The location is great for motorcycling, we can ride in France, Switzerland,Spain, Chq Republic, Italy, Slovakia, Germany, even Croatia - all, all within a few hours of Austria.
We decided not to sell the UK property but to find long term tenants. That way if it didn’t work out we could still return to the UK. The housing market here in Southern Germany and Austria is more geared to rental, so we rent a large house with 2 double garages for less than we earn from the UK property. I don’t miss much about the UK, I never have to lock our house here, nor the car or the push bike, its safe to walk the towns on a Saturday night at 10 oclock – the only downside is that it seems more difficult to make good close friends here, but that could be down to language difficulties.
Cost of living is a tad more expensive maybe 10 to 15% more, healthcare insurance is similar to UK’s national insurance but the treatment seems to be a higher standard. Pensions are transferable, car insurance is maybe 25% higher, fuel prices are a little less than the UK and taxation on salaries is similar.
