Get tips, join events & make friends
New in Zurich? Or thinking about moving here? Learn the ins and outs of life in Zurich from our very own expat community.
Living in Zurich will be fun and exciting, but there are bound to be times when you just need a fellow Canadian. Maybe you’re looking for advice about navigating Swiss bureaucracy. Or craving Canadian snacks. Or you simply would like to watch some hockey and are looking for buddies to join you. Our community is sure to have you covered.
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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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Why Canadians move abroad (& how they like it)
Every year, we run one of the biggest global surveys among on people working and living abroad and ask expats to rate various aspects of their life. Learn what motivates our Canadian members to move, what keeps them abroad, and what they struggle with or miss about home.
The pros & cons of living in Zurich
No place is perfect — there’s always the good, the bad, and the ugly. Find out what our Canadian members love about their life abroad but also the challenges they face in Zurich.
Pros:
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Healthcare: The quality of healthcare in Zurich gets high marks, with Swiss hospitals regularly ranking among the best in Europe.
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Public transportation: The system in Zurich is efficient, well connected, and almost always on time.
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Safety: Zurich is one of the safest cities in the world. Petty crime is very low, and major crimes are a rare occurrence. You’re safe to walk the streets alone at any time.
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Cleanliness: Zurich is an extremely clean city. The city employs a team of cleaners but citizens can (and do!) organize their own clean-up days, too.
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Language: English is widely spoken though it is not an official language of Switzerland. It’s common in the business sector, making it easier to find a job here than in most other European countries.
Cons:
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Cost of living: Zurich is one of the most expensive cities to live in the world. The prices of groceries, rent, and other expenses take some adjusting.
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Bureaucracy: Swiss bureaucracy can be difficult to deal with, especially when it comes to work and residence permits.
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Work–life balance: The Swiss have a strong work ethic, and typical work hours in Switzerland can be long. So, if you’re looking for a change in pace from Canada, this could be difficult.
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What Canadian 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 Canadians, grouped into positive and negative opinions.
Let’s start with the positive ones.
On the downside, here's are some negative experiences from Canadian expats in Zurich
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Meet Canadian expats at our events in Zurich
Making friends and building a network in a new city can be hard.
At our events, everyone is from somewhere else and 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 Canadians in no time and get first-hand information about your new home.
Check our upcoming events and become part of Zurich’s large expat family. Our Newcomers’ Events in particular are geared towards those who’re new to the city. Our Ambassadors will greet you with open arms and introduce you to other newcomers or more experienced expats living in Zurich.
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Frequent questions about living in Zurich
Most internationals enjoy residing along Lake Zurich, attracted by the availability of popular international schools on either side of the lake. Additionally, stores, restaurants, and other facilities in this area cater to English-speaking customers, as most residents are expats.
However, living there can be quite costly. Many people only move to this area if their housing is provided by their employer or if they do not require much space and can manage with a smaller house or apartment.
Popular suburbs and nearby villages on the Gold Coast of Lake Zurich include:
- Zollikon
- Küsnacht
- Erlenbach
- Meilen
And on the Silver Coast:
- Kilchberg
- Thalwil
- Rüschlikon
- Horgen
For a single person to live comfortably in Zurich, you would need about 3,500 CHF net income per month. For a family of four, you’d need about 9,000 CHF.
Let’s break down the costs of living in Zurich:
| CAD per month | Local currency per month | |
Rent for a studio apartment | 3,200 CAD | 2,100 CHF |
Rent for a small family home | 5,200 CAD | 3,400 CHF |
Utilities (power, water, etc.) | 345 CAD | 225 CHF |
Mobile phone & internet | 45 CAD | 30 CHF |
Basic health insurance | 615 CAD | 90 CHF |
Basic health insurance | 140 CAD | 400 CHF |
Groceries (per person) | 440 CAD (per week) | 280 CHF (per week) |
Meal at a restaurant | 40 CAD | 25 CHF |
Zurich is a very international city that receives many foreign tourists every year. So, it’s not too hard to get around with no to very limited local language skills.
Still, this will feel limiting soon, especially when it comes to social contacts and joining in at activities.
So ideally, you treat your time in Zurich as an opportunity to learn some German. There is 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 improve at your own time and budget.
To make your time in Zurich a bit easier, we’ve have collected some services that cater to English speakers in Zurich (these services are not affiliated with or endorsed by InterNations):
GPs, dentists, and more | Doctena Find a doctor that speaks your language and book your appointment with just a few clicks |
Urgent care | Universitäts Spital Zürich University hospital providing urgent care in English |
Immigration assistance | Immigration-Lawyer.ch English-speaking immigration lawyer to assist you with your needs |
Tax advisor | Aconta Tax expert for expats in Zurich |
Instant interpreting service | DayInterpreting Get connected to a native German speaker on your phone and use it to have an instant interpreter with you |
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Our Global Partners
Find friends to pursue your passions with
Do you want to continue with your hobbies — or discover new ones — while living in Zurich? There’s a variety of InterNations Groups you can join, including everything from bowling to professional networking.
These groups are run by dedicated Consuls with at least one activity each month, such as dinners at Zurich’s finest restaurants with the DinnerNations Group or a comedy show visit with the Theater Group. You’d like to be more active? Then you can look forward to outings into the nearby mountains with the Zurich Hiking Group, discover ultimate frisbee, or join the Sports Group. There’s something for everyone!
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Enjoy the international experience with InterNations
We’re not just active in Zurich! InterNations offers lively communities in most of Switzerland’s major cities.
Whether you’re traveling or moving to another Swiss city, check out our Canadian communities in Bern, Geneva, Lugano, Basel, Lausanne, Lucerne, Zug, Neuchatel Lake, or St. Gallen.
But that’s not all: we have communities in over 420 cities worldwide! So, if you’re in the mood for a nice night out while traveling further abroad, you can always join our events in other communities, too. Browse all InterNations Communities worldwide.
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Canadian expats in Switzerland
Other Nationalities in Zurich
Switzerland Guide Topics
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