Looking for Italian Expats in Zurich?

Why Italian expats move abroad (& how they like it)

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys among expats — asking them about various aspects of their life, from work to leisure. Learn what motivated our Italian members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.

What Italians 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 Italians, grouped into positive and negative opinions.

Let’s start with the positive ones.

Opinions

What I like about Zurich is the strong sense of safety I feel living here. I can walk around at any hour without worry

Opinions

Opinions

The natural surroundings are breathtaking, and the parks and green spaces found throughout the city are truly beautiful

Opinions

Opinions

I really appreciate having the opportunity to pursue further education and training here, as it allows me to increase my salary and advance my career.

Opinions

Opinions

It is a safe and stable place, with efficient bureaucracy and a high quality of life.

Opinions

On the downside, here's are some negative experiences from Italian expats in Zurich

Opinions

What I struggle with is that, living here is that I find the cost of living to be extremely high, making it challenging to manage my expenses comfortably.

Opinions

Opinions

I’m not satisfied with the conservative mentality, limited job opportunities, and experiences of racism.

Opinions

Opinions

Unfortunately, smoking is still widely permitted here, leaving few options for non-smokers.

Opinions

Opinions

A significant downside is the social life—it’s hard to make deep connections, and most interactions tend to be polite but superficial.

Opinions

Opinions

It feels like an old-fashioned country, where people can be culturally passive-aggressive, often have a sense of superiority toward outsiders, and are generally hostile to foreigners.

Opinions

Italian Expats in Zurich Share Their Experiences

InterNations is a place where Italian expats in Zurich exchange experiences and tips to support each other. The "Cultural Capital Of Switzerland" can be a great place for expats - our community helps you make the most of your experience!

• Browse our Members Network to get to know Zurich’s Italian expats.
• Take part in our Expat Forums to obtain first hand tips from fellow Italian expats in Zurich.
• Use the Expat Guide for Zurich to find information on your host city.

Meet Fellow Italians in Zurich at Our Events

Our community in Zurich is also very active offline. Our InterNations Ambassadors organize regular events and various expat activities, e.g. a dinner in Zurich’s hippest restaurant or an outing with other Italian expats to explore the mountain resort of Zermatt. These activities are a casual way to get to know expats from Italy in your local community as well as Italians in Switzerland nationwide. Interested? Simply become a member and we’ll be happy to welcome you among our Italians living in Zurich!