Feel at home: Your American community in Zurich
Are you an American expat in Zurich — or are you considering moving here? There are times when the advice of fellow Americans who are already living here can be very helpful. And if you’re hoping to celebrate special American holidays like the 4th of July and Thanksgiving, searching for American food, or wanting a buddy to watch the Super Bowl with … well, the InterNations community is there for you!
Below, you’ll find more info below on how you can connect with Americans expats at fun events. And if you’ve got burning questions about life in Zurich, read on! We’ve rounded up everything you need to know to make the transition easier.
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Andrey Vasilyev
I was able to connect with other expats in Zurich who enjoy cycling as much as I do and organize weekly rides.
Elin Gustavson
At the first InterNations event that I attended, I met my wonderful partner. We now live together in a flat next to the Limmat.
Why you'll love InterNations in Zurich
and countless possibilities for fun and friendship!
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The pros & cons of living in Zurich
Of course, no place is absolutely perfect. There’s always the good, the bad, and the ugly. Discover what American expats love about Zurich — and the challenges they face.
Pros of living in Zurich
Healthcare: Americans often appreciate both the quality and affordability of healthcare in Zurich.
Public transportation: The public transportation in Zurich is efficient. There’s a great train system that is well connected and is almost always on time.
Safety: Zurich is one of the safest cities in the world. Petty crime is low and major crimes are very rare. Walking the streets alone at any time is totally safe.
Cleanliness: Zurich is famously a clean city. Switzerland has a reputation for being clean and well-organized.
Language: English is widely spoken, though it’s not an official language of the country. With English often used in a business context, this makes it easier for Americans to find a job here and settle in.
Cons of living in Zurich
Cost of living: Zurich is one of the most expensive cities in the world. The prices of groceries, rent, and other expenses can be hard to adjust to. However, salaries are also higher here.
Bureaucracy: Swiss bureaucracy can be difficult to deal with, especially when it comes to work and residence permits.
Work-life balance: Switzerland has a strong work ethic and the typical work hours in Switzerland can be long. That means finding a good work-life balance can be tricky. If you’re looking for a change in pace from the US, this will not be automatic here.
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What American expats have to say about Living in Zurich
We asked tens of thousands of expats about their lives abroad in our Expat Insider surveys. In addition to our standard questions, we invite them to share what they like or dislike about their experiences in their own words. Here, we’ve selected some of the most interesting or representative quotes about expat life in Zurich from Americans, grouped into positive and negative opinions.
Let’s start with the positive ones.
On the downside, here's are some negative experiences from American expats in Zurich
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Meet American expats at fun events in Zurich
Making friends and building a network in a new city can be hard. Luckily, at our events, everyone is from somewhere else! So it’s completely normal to introduce yourself to people and ask them about their own expat journey. You’ll get to know a bunch of international people and other Americans in no time and get first-hand information about your new home Zurich. Check out our upcoming events you’ll soon feel like part of Zurich’s expat family. Our Newcomers’ Events are geared towards people who are new to the city and to InterNations. Our welcoming Ambassadors will introduce you to other newcomers and more experienced expats living in Zurich.
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All your questions about Zurich, answered
Americans often enjoy living in the more international parts of town. That makes living along Lake Zurich a popular choice, attracted by the availability of popular international schools on either side of the lake. And that’s why stores, restaurants, and other facilities in this area cater to English-speakers. However, living here can be quite costly, and most expats move to this area only if their housing is provided by their companies or if they do not require much space and can manage with a smaller house or apartment. On the side of the lake known as the Gold Coast, which is the pricier, high-end side, popular villages include:
- Zollikon
- Küsnacht
- Erlenbach
- Meilen
In the slightly less expensive Silver Coast area, which is on the lake’s western shore, popular villages include:
- Kilchberg
- Thalwil
- Rüschlikon
- Horgen
Zurich is a very international city that also attracts many tourists. While it’s not too hard to get around with limited language skills, this will feel limiting at some point. The most challenging moments usually occur when you need to get official paperwork done, find accommodation, see a doctor, etc.
So ideally, you treat your time in Zurich as an opportunity to learn some German. There’s a wide variety of affordable language schools to get you started. And of course, these days there are also very capable apps that allow you to learn on your own time and budget. To make your time in Zurich a bit easier, we’ve collected some services (not affiliated with InterNations) that cater to English speakers to help you with the most important aspects of life:
General practitioner (GP) | Doctena Search for a doctor who speaks English — book your appointment with just a few clicks. |
Dentists | Doctena Dentists Search for dentists according to languages they speak. |
Urgent care | Universitäts Spital Zürich University hospital providing urgent care in English. |
Immigration assistance | Immigration Lawyer.ch |
Tax advisor | Aconta Tax experts for expats in Zurich. |
Instant interpreting service | Dayinterpreting Connect to a native Dutch speaker on your phone and use the phone’s loudspeaker to have an instant interpreter with you. |
For a single person to live comfortably in Zurich you would need a net income of about 3,500 CHF per month. For a family of four, you would need about 9,000 CHF per month net income.
| USD | Local currency | |
Rent for a studio apartment | 2,300+ USD | 2,100 CHF |
Rent for a small family home | 4,000 USD | 3,400 CHF |
Utilities (power, water, etc.) | 250 USD | 225 CHF |
Mobile phone & internet | 35 USD | 30 CHF |
Basic health insurance | 450 USD | 400 CHF |
Public transportation | 100 USD | 90 CHF |
Groceries (per person) | 320 USD | 280 CHF |
Meal at a restaurant | 30 USD | 25 CHF |
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Our Global Partners
Pursue your hobbies with amazing new friends
Do you want to continue pursuing your hobbies — or discover new ones — while living abroad? You can do that easily in our InterNations Groups, which offer activities based on a wide range of interests. Groups are hosted by dedicated Consuls with at least one activity each month. They organize everything from dinners to sightseeing to board game nights. For example, you can enjoy nature with the Outdoors Group, share your love of music with the Jazz Group, or go on an adventure with the Boat Trips Group. There’s something for everyone!
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Enjoy the international experience
We’re not just active in Zurich! InterNations has lively communities in most of Switzerland’s major cities. If you’re traveling or moving to another city in Switzerland, check out our American communities in Bern, Geneva, Lugano, Basel, Lausanne, Lucerne, Zug, Neuchatel Lake, or St. Gallen. But that’s not all: If you’re in the mood for a nice night out while traveling further abroad, InterNations is your go-to platform. As an InterNations member, you’re always welcome to join events in any of our communities in over 420 cities worldwide. You can find the list here: Browse all InterNations Communities worldwide.
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American expats in Switzerland
Other Nationalities in Zurich
Switzerland Guide Topics
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