If You Are Moving To Zurich, Here Are 7 Things To Know

Switzerland is the land of snow-peaked natural beauty that can instil envy in anyone’s heart. A land so beautiful Bond villains seem to want to live there to enjoy the scenery while plotting the end of the world.

Zurich is the perfect ambassador for Switzerland, and millions of people from around the globe move to the city. Zurich has a lot more to offer than scenic beauty, and we will uncover them in this list. Let’s take a look at the top things you need to know before moving to Zurich.

High cost of living
This won’t come as a surprise to most people, but it is expensive to live in Zurich. You will end up paying more than 30% of your salary in rent and additionally paying for necessities like life insurance and utilities that are charged at a premium.

To put things in perspective, it is more expensive to live in Zurich compared to New York. You would have to make over nine thousand dollars per month to sustain a basic quality of life. Additionally, expats have to pay a barge of taxes, which could end up being over 20%.

Job landscape
The job market in Zurich is not amazing, but it is not particularly horrible either. The tech, finance and banking sectors are booming, and you have the potential to make big bank if you have the right qualifications.

There is a need for English-speaking individuals, but job opportunities are limited, and you would have to be resourceful to land a job. On the other hand, if you do manage to secure a job in Zurich, your cost of living issue will be minimised considerably. Switzerland is famous for paying high wages, and you can take full advantage of it.

Language barrier
For a city that has four official languages, it is still difficult to get by. The German dialect is the most confusing. It is not the same as spoken in Germany. Big cities are considerably more forgiving of the English-speaking crowd, but it is a good idea to brush up on the local languages.

The Sunday shutdown
The rest of the free world only preaches weekends off on paper. In reality, we end up working in a corporate environment, and the service industry is always churning.

Switzerland takes breaks very seriously, and every Sunday is a day of detox. Most shops, restaurants and definitely offices are closed on Sundays. It can seem like a difficult pill to swallow, but you will come to appreciate it. People utilise this break to enjoy the outdoors and relax with their families in scenic parks.

Always conduct personal research before deciding to move to a new city. If you are not completely happy with the decision, you will find it difficult to cope with your new life. If you need any help with packing or moving, contact us now!