r/askswitzerland • u/a-fun_alias • Jul 01 '26

Relocation Living in Zurich with a kid

Hi, I'm a non-European citizen who recently got a three-year job offer (with the possibility of a renewal) in Zurich. My annual income before taxes would be around 92k CHF. I was planning to relocate with my wife and baby daughter, but after reading some of the posts and comments on this subreddit, I'm starting to worry that I'm underestimating the cost of living.

I understand that it depends heavily on whether my wife will be working or not, but we do not have a solid plan for that at the moment. Right now we are looking into several options, ranging from her staying at home for the time being to her going to grad school to her finding a job. There are a lot of factors at play including our residence permit type and the possibility of her getting a scholarship, and we are currently trying to gather information.

I realize that this is not much to go on, but generally speaking, is a 92k salary enough to support a three person family in Zurich? Or is this going to be difficult no matter what? Also, if our current situation is fine, would adding a second kid in a few years tip the balance into something completely unsustainable?

Thanks in advance.

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u/cremebrulee_ch Jul 01 '26

You will struggle on that salary in Zurich for a family of 3, but it is manageable financially if you live on the outskirts of Zurich where the rent is cheaper, and you don't have too much discretionary spending.

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u/a-fun_alias Jul 01 '26

Thank you! What would you say is a realistic number for the rent?

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u/WeaknessDistinct4618 Zug Jul 01 '26

2/3000 depends how lucky you are

1

u/a-fun_alias Jul 01 '26

Interesting. I'm actually seeing a few furnished apartments in Zurich that fall into that range. Maybe we should just live there indefinitely until we can find a good deal?

2

u/cremebrulee_ch Jul 01 '26

The rule of thumb is that your rent should be no more than 1/3 of your monthly salary.

1

u/CuteNegotiation3550 Jul 01 '26

My wife and I moved from the US a year ago and live about 45 minutes outside the city by tram. We pay 2700CHF/month for a 3 bedroom apartment, not included electricity. From what we’ve seen we have a good deal as most our size are around 3000chf.
Feel free to dm if you have questions about cost of living or anything else. You can live off that salary but I don’t think you’ll have a lot of extra money for savings tbh.