City Profile

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich is the economic center of Switzerland and one of the most important financial hubs globally. The city offers a unique combination of high quality of life, excellent infrastructure, and a stable political environment. Ideal for entrepreneurs who value legal certainty, banking access, and an international network.

Region: europe-westClimate Zone: continentalUpdated: 2025-01-04Data Version: 2026-02medium

residency-friendlyremote-readyhealthcare-strongEU / Schengen

Hero Image Slot: Generated Atlas visual

Primary location visual for SEO/social and profile context.

Map Slot

Lat 47.36667 / Lon 8.55

OpenStreetMapOpen map

Lifestyle Gallery Slots

Neighborhood LifeGenerated Atlas visual

Zurich, Switzerland - Mobility and work rhythm

Work & MobilityGenerated Atlas visual

Zurich, Switzerland - Housing and daily setup

Housing & Daily SetupGenerated Atlas visual

Residency Quick Facts

Entry Rule

Residency Path

1 Jahr, verlängerbar

Top Personal Tax

Data Version

2026-02

More Cities In The Same Country

Zug, Switzerland

More Cities In The Same Region

Vienna, Austria Copenhagen, Denmark Helsinki, Finland Berlin, Germany Munich, Germany Dublin, Ireland Monaco, Monaco Amsterdam, Netherlands

This is a directory, not a ranking and not legal, tax, or financial advice.

Climate

City Native

Climate Typecontinental
Climate Comfort Score 1 54 score_1_5
Temp Summer Avg C19 c
Temp Winter Avg C1 c
Rainy MonthsJun, Jul, Aug
Best MonthsMay, Jun, Sep

Sources: Open-Meteo Climate API (api);

Environment

Hybrid

Environment Quality Score 1 55 score_1_5
City Air Quality Referenceiqair_proxy
Air Policy Strengthvery_high

Sources: World Air Quality Index (index); World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Nature

Country Proxy

Nature Access Score 1 54 score_1_5
Coast AccessNo

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Cost of Living

Country Native

Cost Value Score 1 51 score_1_5
Col Index Ch 100100 index
Rent 1br Chf Min1800 chf
Rent 1br Chf Max2800 chf
Monthly Budget Chf Min5000 chf
Monthly Budget Chf Max8000 chf

Sources: World Bank PPP Indicators (official_statistics); Numbeo Cost of Living (crowdsourced);

Safety

Country Native

Safety Stability Score 1 55 score_1_5
Rule Of Law Bandvery_high

Sources: Global Peace Index (index); World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Healthcare

Country Native

Healthcare System Score 1 55 score_1_5
Healthcare Quality Bandexcellent

Sources: WHO Global Health Observatory (official_statistics);

Infrastructure

Hybrid

Infrastructure Connectivity Score 1 55 score_1_5
Internet Mbps150 mbps
Coworking Presencemany
International SchoolsYes

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics); Ookla Speedtest Global Index (index); Google Places (api);

Social / Community

Country Native

Social Cultural Fit Score 1 54 score_1_5
English Accessmedium

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics);

Education

Country Native

Education Access Score 1 55 score_1_5
International SchoolsYes

Sources: OECD Education at a Glance (official_statistics);

Residency Access

Country Native

Residency Access Score 1 52 score_1_5
Visa Option Count2 count
Entry Duration1 Jahr, verlängerbar text

Sources: IATA Timatic (dataset); Official Immigration Authorities (documentation);

Residency Path

Country Native

Residency Path Score 1 51 score_1_5
Temporary Residence1 Jahr, verlängerbar text
Permanent Residence AvailableNo

Sources: Official Immigration Authorities (documentation);

Taxes

Country Native

Tax Competitiveness Score 1 52 score_1_5
Personal Income Tax Estimated Pct30 pct

Sources: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries (documentation);

Everyday Life

Country Proxy

Convenience Daily Life Score 1 53 score_1_5
Seasonalitymedium

Sources: World Bank Governance Indicators (official_statistics); Numbeo Cost of Living (crowdsourced);

Advantages

Excellent legal certainty and political stability
World-class banking infrastructure
Strong international network
High quality of life and safety
Central European location (1h flight to all capitals)
Multilingual (DE/EN/FR)

Disadvantages

Very high cost of living
Strict residence permits for non-EU
High taxes compared to low-tax jurisdictions
Limited startup culture compared to Berlin/London

Ideal For

Established entrepreneurs with stable income
Wealth management and family offices
B2B service providers with DACH focus
Trading and financial services

Not Ideal For

Bootstrap startups on tight budgets
Digital nomads without fixed location
Pure tax optimization (better alternatives exist)

Field Intelligence

Housing: Housing market is extremely competitive. Prepare application folder with debt collection extract and salary statement.
Banking: UBS and Credit Suisse for business banking. For cheaper alternatives: Postfinance or Neon.
Bureaucracy: Fiduciary for company formation and taxes essential. Budget: CHF 2000-5000/year.
Work: Swiss Startup Association, Venturelab and Impact Hub for startup networking. EO Zurich for established entrepreneurs.
Expat friction: Swiss Startup Association, Venturelab and Impact Hub for startup networking. EO Zurich for established entrepreneurs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Zurich ranked as top in Atlas?

No. Atlas provides profile data without ranking or recommendation logic.

When was the Zurich profile updated?

lastUpdated: 2025-01-04, dataVersion: 2026-02.

What source logic applies to Zurich?

Atlas follows official > index > proxy > crowdsourced. Crowdsourced is never primary.