Moving to Zurich

Moving to Zurich will be a great surprise to most expats who have long associated this banking capital with an uptight commercial persona. While it may be home to the world’s fourth largest stock exchange and the country’s financial engine, there’s so much more to this city besides commerce.

Expatriates in Zurich are hard pressed to find a better lifestyle whilst pursuing their career ambitions in this city set against the scenic backdrop of Lake Zurich and the Limmat River. Ranked as the world’s top city to live in, Zurich is the textbook for urban living. It’s clean, safe and reliable with a strong economy and a rich culture.

Its medieval Old Town has been transformed by the contemporary pleasures of fashion stores and bookshops, wine and pastry shops, bars, restaurants and clubs. Having long influenced the arts and culture, Zurich is a city that pays homage to museums, galleries and theatres.

The Limmat River runs through Zurich, creating wonderful quays along which to stroll and enjoy the sights of the sailboats and motorboats whisking their passengers across Lake Zurich.

 

Because it is such a cosmopolitan city, expatriates may get by on English, which is widely spoken and understood. Swiss German, however, is the language spoken by Zurich’s residents with High German reserved for all written forms of communication.

See our detailed Zurich travel guide