Budapest vs Vienna

Vienna leads Budapest by 2 points on the CIRA Index, 74 to 72. Budapest grades better on 6 measures, Vienna on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Budapest 72, Vienna 74
• OECD: Budapest 70, Vienna 72
• UN Tourism: Budapest 75, Vienna 78
• UNDRR: Budapest 70, Vienna 78

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Budapest 63, Vienna 63
• Economy and jobs: Budapest 92, Vienna 75
• Climate and hazards: Budapest 70, Vienna 65
• Water and environment: Budapest 75, Vienna 81
• Community and housing: Budapest 67, Vienna 69
• Access and continuity: Budapest 71, Vienna 88

Where Budapest is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 10 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (OECD, OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2026 (Hungary chapter), 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 6.3 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 3.2 % of the labour force (Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), Table 20.2.1.10 'Changes in the unemployment rate', October–December 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 361.3 kg per resident per year (Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), Települések infrastrukturális ellátottsága, 2023, 2023). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Rent growth: 5.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) & Ingatlan.com Rent Index, July 2025 to July 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.

Where Vienna is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 16.9 % of nights by residents of the same country (Vienna Tourist Board (WienTourismus), 2025). Between 15 and 25: grade 1/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 114 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (WienTourismus / Vienna Tourist Board, 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 71,732 GDP per capita, USD PPP (OECD Data Explorer, Gross domestic product - Regions, 2023). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Green space: 45 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Stadt Wien - MA 23 (Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Statistik), 2020). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (WienTourismus, Visitor Economy Strategy & Action Programs, 2025). Grade 3/4.
• Government effectiveness: 92.5 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (WienTourismus / Stadt Wien, Wiener Tourismusförderungsgesetz (WTFG), 2025–2026). Grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Hungary: #42 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Austria: #15 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Budapest in full · Vienna in full

The CIRA Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · CIRA Studio · Put your city in the pilot