If you’re hoping to relocate somewhere new, then Switzerland could be the ideal country for you!
Switzerland reportedly has a very high quality of life, with low unemployment rates, a stable economy and a good work-to-life balance.
Let’s take a look at the best places to live in Switzerland for work, families, immigration, retirement, and more.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland
City | Reason |
---|---|
Geneva | Best for work |
Glarus | Best for affordability |
Zürich | Best for families |
Bern | Best for immigrants |
Lausanne | Best for retirement |
Geneva, Eaux-Vives Cité | Best for young adults |
Zürich, University Quarter | Best for students |
Zürich, Langstrasse | Best for food and nightlife |
Lugano | Best for singles |
Zürich, Altstadt | Best for the LGBT+ community |
Locarno | Best for weather |
Interlaken | Best for mountains |
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Work
Switzerland readily welcomes foreigners into working positions and there are a few big cities where the job market is active. For most expats, Geneva is the ideal place to settle if finding a job is a priority.
The city of Geneva is located at the tip of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) and is known to be a hub for diplomacy, as its home to the headquarters of Europe’s United Nations and the Red Cross.
The biggest sectors in Geneva for work are banking, international financing, and trade.
Competition for jobs in Switzerland is high. The country actively tries to fill roles with domestic residents so candidates hoping to get noticed will typically require a university degree or plenty of experience in the field.
However, those opting for highly-skilled positions are likely to have a slightly easier time, particularly if they have the specific qualifications and experience needed.
Cheapest Places To Live In Switzerland
Switzerland has a reputation as being an expensive country and this is relatively true to the rest of the world, but as wages in Switzerland also tend to be higher than in other countries it’s somewhat balanced out.
There are plenty of smaller towns in Switzerland where the cost of living will be lower, but those interested in living in a city should consider the beautiful city of Glarus.
Glarus is a smaller city located in the middle of Switzerland, at the foot of the Glärnisch ridge. The city is ideal for walkers, climbers and cyclists as the varied landscape makes for great exploring.
It’s also one of the cheapest cities in Switzerland with affordable rent and cost of living. Choosing to go out to eat in Glarus won’t break the bank, making the city perfect for those working with a smaller budget.
Uri, a canton also located in central Switzerland, is another good choice with lower renting costs than bigger cities such as Geneva or Zurich, plus the city has the benefit of beautiful surrounding mountains and a range of museums and shopping districts.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Families
There are plenty of cities in Switzerland that are great to raise a family – the country is known to be very safe. Many expat families have chosen to settle in Zürich.
Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland and is located at the north end of Lake Zürich. Zürich is a vast metropolis and has easy connections to the rest of the country through car, plane or train,
Zürich has a thriving business community and is a good option for those hoping to find a job; the city is known for being a hub for finances and banking. On the flip side, there are also plenty of entertainment opportunities such as museums, theatres and galleries.
The education system in Zürich is high quality with plenty of international schools to choose from. English is spoken throughout the country, also.
Those who are hoping to settle somewhere a little less crowded could consider the city of Winterthur. There is a large expat community here and the city is known for its natural space and culture with plenty of galleries and museums.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Immigrants
Switzerland is a popular place to migrate to due to the high quality of life found in the country. Plenty of Switzerland’s bigger cities are ideal for immigrants, and this is true of Switzerland’s capital – Bern.
Bern is located around a crook in the Aare River and is known for its Old Town which is UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the preserved medieval city centre.
Bern has a high quality of life encompassing all major factors such as healthcare, public transport and accommodation. Bern is very close to Zürich making it a good option for those who want to be close to a busier city but not necessarily live in it.
The city is also popular with both families and expats due to the surrounding natural beauty – the city is home to 130 parks. It has plenty of culture and history to soak in, as well as all the amenities you would expect of any modern city.
Zürich is another choice option for immigrants. The city has the largest number of immigrants in the country and is very welcoming and accepting of migrants.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Retirement
Switzerland is every retiree’s dream – the country is very safe, the crime rate is low and the quality of life is high. Switzerland has quite an open policy when it comes to who can retire in their country but, as with many countries, there are still some requirements to meet and Switzerland is still more expensive than other countries; make sure to do your research first!
There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to deciding where to settle in Switzerland. The city of Lausanne strikes the perfect balance between idyllic natural beauty and the convenience of modern cities.
Lausanne rests in the French-speaking canton of Vaud on Lake Geneva and is home to the International Olympic Committee headquarters. Lausanne is very close to Geneva; only a 45-minute journey by car, making it the ideal spot for those who are eager for peace and quiet but still want to access city life quickly and easily.
Lausanne has plenty of trails and walks and the Old City is lined with shops and quaint medieval streets.
Winterthur is another fantastic option for retirees as the city is packed full of culture and history, as well as plenty of shops, restaurants, markets, and festivals.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Young Adults
Geneva is one of the best cities for young adults looking to start their professional careers or further their personal development. Not only is the city safe, but it’s packed full of culture and bars and restaurants – the city has a reputation for enjoying and facilitating socialising.
Geneva is also more affordable than Zürich and has a mix of cultures and communities, breaking away a little from the typical ‘Swiss’ experience one might find in Zürich.
Geneva has a thriving job market, though competition is high. The housing is relatively affordable and there are plenty of music venues, bars and clubs for those who want to spend their evenings partying.
Eaux-Vives Cité is in downtown Geneva and tends to be where most of the bars and more modern buildings are located.
Zürich is another good option for young adults, though do keep in mind that the city is more expensive. Affoltern is a popular district with young adults due to its good connections to other parts of the city.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Students
Switzerland is a very good country for international students; with a strong economy and high quality of living it’s no wonder why so many students are eager for a position at one of the country’s many universities.
Zürich is the best city for prospective students and is home to some very highly-rated universities such as ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), University of Zürich and Zürich University of the Arts.
Zürich is a naturally beautiful city with outstanding landscape and beautiful architecture – the perfect environment for burgeoning academics.
There are plenty of options for student accommodation in Zürich and many universities provide housing information on their websites. More generally, the University Quarter (part of District 6) is a good choice for those studying at the University of Zürich.
Lausanne is another good student city with several high-quality institutions such as the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and the University of Lausanne.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Food and Nightlife
While Switzerland may not be famous for its nightlife, there are still some very good cities in the country for those who enjoy partying. In particular, Zürich is noted as one of the best cities in the country for nightlife.
There is a huge range of bars and nightclubs in Zürich to suit all types of nightlife from cocktail bars to underground music venues. The best district for nightlife in Zürich is Langstrasse.
It’s a popular district with plenty of shopping areas during the day time and bars and clubs during the night. There are also lots of international restaurants to discover.
Another great city for nightlife is Bern, which is a vibrant and ever-changing scene full of bars, music venues and clubs suiting all different types of nightlife enjoyers.
Zürich is also emerging as the food capital of Switzerland. There is plenty of street food in Switzerland offering classic dishes such as fondue (a pot of melted cheese, garlic and wine), rosti (a Swiss style of hash brown) and roasted flour soup (butter, flour, beef stalk, and grated Gruyere).
There are also lots of upscale restaurants in Zürich that offer all kinds of cuisines for those who enjoy eating out.
Geneva is another great option for people who enjoy food, particularly those who enjoy chocolate! Like Zürich, Geneva is full of different types of eateries ranging from street food to highly-rated restaurants.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for Singles
Switzerland is a great country for single expats due to the safety of its cities and the high quality of life achieved. However, Switzerland is expensive and any single expat should ensure they have the budget to live comfortably before making the move.
Lugano is located in southern Switzerland’s Italian-speaking Ticino region. The city is renowned for its laid-back atmosphere and outstanding natural scenery and is more affordable than Zürich or Geneva.
The city is boasted as one of (if not the) most beautiful city in Switzerland and is influenced heavily by Italy’s northern Lombardy region. It’s also a great city for those who love the outdoors with plenty of walks, trails and sports.
Winterthur is another city that is a good potential choice for singles. The city is located near the German border, northeast of Zurich and is a great choice for those with an interest in arts, culture and history.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for the LGBT+ Community
On the whole, Switzerland is a very tolerant and accepting country, particularly in the larger cities such as Zürich and Geneva. Homosexuality is legal in Switzerland but gay marriage is still considered illegal.
Zürich is commonly referred to as the Gay Capital of Switzerland, with a vibrant and exciting gay district. The scene in Zürich is very artsy and enduring, with some of the parties and clubs lasting until the early morning.
Most of the gay scene in Zürich is concentrated in and around the Altstadt and most bars and clubs are located in District 1 and District 4 (Langstrasse). The Niederdorf quarter is home to one of the oldest gay bars in Europe, the Barfüsser.
Geneva is another city to consider for members of the LGBT+ community. There are several LGBT+ bars here and the city also holds intense parties to celebrate and honour the community throughout the year.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland for the Weather
Switzerland is located in a temperate climate zone which is characterised by moderate and mild weather. The country also has four distinct seasons.
Locarno is located on Lake Maggiore in southern Switzerland and is one of the warmest cities in the country. It also has the most days of sunshine throughout Switzerland, so is the perfect option for expats hoping for consistently nice weather.
Winters are much milder than you may expect for a Swiss city and the summers in Locarno are hot, dry and sunny.
Bellinzona is another great choice for those hoping for good weather when relocating to Switzerland. As Bellinzona is slightly farther from Lake Lugano it has particularly hot summers and some of the coldest winter nights, too.
Best Places To Live In Switzerland Near Mountains
Switzerland has no shortage of mountains and there are plenty of locations throughout the country that are ideal for mountain lovers. The resort city of Interlaken is located in central Switzerland and is 566 m (1,857 ft) above sea level, with stunning lakes on either side.
Interlaken is known as the adventure capital of Switzerland as many people who enjoy more dangerous sports and outdoor activities such as canyoning, river rafting and skydiving flock here.
It’s also perfect for nature lovers who wish to spend a lot of time outdoors and are hoping to find beautiful mountains right on their doorstep. There are plenty of excursions around Interlaken and it’s ideal for thrill-seekers.
Lucerne is another choice option for those who love mountains, as the city is overlooked by the famous Mount Pilatus, though there are plenty of other peaks around in and Lucerne.
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