Moving to Zurich: what expats should know
Zurich is Switzerland's economic capital and its largest job market — finance, insurance, tech, and consulting concentrate here at a depth no other canton matches. The trade-off is the cost level: rents and daily spend track the highest in Switzerland after Zug, and the city's commune layer adds visibly to the cantonal tax bill. Daily life runs in German; English works inside large international employers.
Quick overview
- Language: German (Swiss German daily; English common in international employers)
- Main cities: Zurich, Winterthur, Uster
- Tax level: Medium-to-higher (city of Zurich has a notably higher commune layer) (relative to Switzerland)
- Cost of living: Among the highest in Switzerland
- International profile: Highest in Switzerland after Geneva
Why expats choose Zurich
- Largest job market in Switzerland in finance, insurance, tech, and consulting — also the most expensive everyday environment outside Zug and the Höfe district.
- Highest density of English-speaking employers in the country — but daily life outside the office still runs in German.
- Best cultural and dining depth of any Swiss city — combined with rents that rival London or Paris in central Kreis.
- Strongest international school and family infrastructure outside Geneva — at price points that price out many newcomers.
Housing
Zurich rents are the highest in Switzerland after Zug. Kreis 1, 4, and 6 are pressure zones; Oerlikon, Altstetten, and Winterthur are clearly cheaper. Most newcomers compromise on commune to land something quickly.
Cost of living
At or above every other Swiss city on rent, dining, and childcare. Health insurance and groceries follow national patterns. Salaries compensate more here than anywhere else, but only at higher seniority.
Work & economy
Finance (UBS, Julius Bär, ZKB), insurance (Swiss Re, Zurich Insurance), tech (Google, IBM, ETH spinouts), and consulting dominate. English works at most international employers; German is essential outside that bubble. The local job market is the deepest in Switzerland.
Lifestyle
Compact, walkable, lake on the doorstep, Alps within an hour. Cultural and dining depth is unmatched among Swiss cities. The pace is fast by Swiss standards; calmer than Frankfurt or London, busier than Bern or Lucerne.
Administration basics
Most steps in Zurich follow the standard Swiss pattern: registration at your commune within 14 days of arrival, a residence permit issued through the canton, mandatory health insurance within three months of arrival, and a Swiss bank account once you have a confirmed address.
Tax situation
Zurich's cantonal tax sits in the medium-to-higher Swiss range; the city of Zurich's commune layer is notably higher than the cantonal average. Higher earners save real money by choosing communes outside the city itself — toward the Gold Coast, the Aargau border, or out to Zug or Schwyz when the saving justifies the commute.
Who Zurich is best for
- Finance, insurance, tech, and consulting professionals with a Zurich-anchored employer.
- International executives whose company is headquartered in or near Zurich.
- ETH researchers and adjacent corporate-research roles.
- Couples where both partners need a deep urban job market and accept paying for it.
- Households prioritising cultural depth and breadth of services over property size or low cost.
When you may need support
If you are joining a Zurich-based employer, weighing Zurich vs Zug or Schwyz for tax reasons, or trying to keep rent under control, the commune choice and arrival sequence are not symmetric. Get them right before signing the lease.