An Essential Guide

Zurich
Courtesy of:


Introduction
Zurich is the largest City in Switzerland with approximately 400,000 residents. It is
located in North West Switzerland. Zurichs travel links make it a globally connected
destination. It is regularly voted as the number 1 location for quality of life in the world.
Zurich is Switzerlands financial centre and home to Footballs world governing body FIFA.

The official language is standard German. Residents speak German and local dialect Swiss
German (which has some variations on standard German). English is very popular in
Zurich and French is also widely used.

Climate:
Zurich has a humid continental climate with 4 distinct seasons. Summer can be hot and
winter will be cold! Spring and autumn are historically mild.

Local Time:
The local time of Zurich is Central European Time.

National Day:
1
st
August is Swiss National day and celebrated with a variety of festivities and of course a
National Holiday!

Flag:
The Swiss flag is the famous white cross on red background. It is one of only 2 square
flags, the other being the flag of Vatican City

Currency:
The currency of Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF)
As of 1
st
July 2013 the exchange rate is approximately
1.2 CHF to the Euro.
1.4 CHF to the Pound .



Accommodation
A high percentage of the Swiss do not own their home and rent instead (65%+). Around
25% of a persons salary can be expected to be allocated to accommodation.

The regulations applied to expats and foreign nationals in Switzerland are strict. Many
cantons and most of the major cities in Switzerland do not permit foreign nationals to
purchase property in their area.

If you choose to relocate to Switzerland the company which has employed you will often
provide advice and assistance on where to live. Darwin will of course also provide you
with the support required.

It can be a difficult process to find a suitable home. On the plus side Zurich has some
great places to stay. With renting so popular, with some research, it wont be long
before you find somewhere suitable.

www.comparis.ch is an excellent comparison website for Zurich accommodation.

Expect to pay a minimum of CHF1000 per month for 1 bedroom apartment in Zurich.
This escalates dependent on the property. For those looking to splurge you can pay
upwards of CHF4500 per month for luxury apartments and homes.

As with everything in Switzerland it is recommended to run a bespoke search for what
you are specifically looking for. The differences on the market are great. With the
support of your prospective employers and Darwin you will find an attractive and fair
deal.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk provides details of Hotels and B&Bs in Zurich.







Cost of Living
Switzerland is world renowned for being an expensive place to live and visit. This
reputation is well earned with basics such as food and drink costing noticeably more
than in Switzerlands European neighbours. Even so the salaries paid in Switzerland do
mean that the increase in prices for day to day purchases will not affect your standard
of life.
Entertainments, travel, eating out are all expensive in Zurich.
Follow the link below to Coop, which is Switzerlands favoured Supermarket. This will
provide an overview of prices for everyday products.
http://www.coop.ch/pb/site/homepage2012/node/72813936/Lde/index.html
Quick Cost Guide
Price of local beer (0.5 litres) = 1.50
Beer in a bar = 7.00
All day Train travel card (ABC) = 15.00
Gasoline (1 Litre) = 1.80
Milk (1 Litre) = 1.50
Basic Utilities (Electricity, Gas,
Water) = 190
Loaf of fresh white bread (500g) =
2.50
Mid range meal for 2 (3 courses) =
100.00
Interesting links for living in Switzerland
http://www.switzerland-4you.com/life_quality.htm
http://www.swissworld.org/en/people/
http://www.expatarrivals.com/switzerland/moving-to-switzerland










Taxes & Deductions
Taxes in Switzerland are levied by the Swiss Confederation the cantons and
the municipalities. Zurich is a superbly maintained city and the Swiss Government
invest in maintaining a high living standard, public transport etc.
Switzerland is sometimes considered a tax haven due to its general low rate of taxation,
its political stability as well as the various tax exemptions or reductions available to
Swiss companies doing business abroad, or foreign persons resident in Switzerland.
Tax in Zurich (as with the rest of Switzerland) will be calculated based on a number of
factors including age, marital status, number of children. There is no standard amount
and will vary across Switzerland.
In Zurich after taxation and deductions you will likely maintain between 60-70% of
your salary. Every employee will be deducted for Social Security Costs (5%),
Unemployment Insurance (2%), Pension (7%), Tax (16%). These are approximate
figures but give a guide of what the deductions will likely be.
Everyone is obliged to take out Private Medical Insurance, so this should be factored in
as another deduction from your base salary. Comparis.ch will assist with calculations
for this and the cost will depend on the level of cover you select. Some employers may
include this as part of the package.
Darwin works with several Managed Agencies that specialize in Tax Solutions for
Freelancers so if this is your employment status we will be able to assist in full with this.





Schooling

The education system in Switzerland is very diverse. Each canton is given authority for
their own school system. The Swiss constitution sets the foundations, namely that
primary school is obligatory for every child and is free in public schools and that the
confederation can run or support universities.
As schooling is important for any child it is essential that you fully research if you have
dependents that require schooling. There are a number of International Schools in
Zurich.
Follow the link below for more information on Schooling.
http://www.expatica.com/ch/international-schools-switzerland.html









Travel

Zrich is famous for its highly efficient, clean and safe public transport system. The
network includes trams, buses suburban trains (S-Bahn), regular trains (SBB), cable
cars and boats. The size and complexity of the network may be daunting at first, but you
will soon realize that there are dozens of ways to get from one place to another and
following any of them will still be efficient.
Timetable information for any public transportation in Switzerland is available
on sbb.ch or can be obtained using SBB's free smart Phone apps, which also informs you
about any train's position or delay in real-time. ZVV's own free app delivers you
timetable information and real-time updates about ZVV's transport system condition
and any delays. All of them require a working internet connection.
The system is divided into numerous fare zones, with the Zurich's city centre and
innermost suburbs being in zone 110 and the outer suburbs located in other zones
(Winterthur is in zone 120, for example), and the more zones you pass through, the
more you will have to pay for your journey. There are single tickets, day cards, monthly
cards and annual cards. The monthly and annual cards are collectively referred to
as ZVV NetworkPass.
Tickets must be purchased from a ticket vending machine before boarding or from one
of the ticket selling kiosks. The ticket vending machines are in German, English, French
and Italian and offer almost all regular tickets available. They come along with a zone
map on every machine as well as clear instructions coming to your aid, so feel free to
choose! Once you have got your ticket it gives you access to all modes of transport.
Zurich Airport is a busy international destination with regular flights to global
destinations.
http://www.zurich-airport.com/



Leisure pursuits in Zurich
City and Mountain Tours
Famed for its picturesque scenery and classical architecture there are a huge array of
tours available in Zurich and its surroundings. Whether you want to see the city by foot,
lakes and rivers by boat or travel into the mountains by cable car, you will be greeted
with stunning views and relaxing days out.

Eating and Drinking
There are a great number of excellent restaurants and bars across Zurich. Catering for
International tastes you will find options for everyone. From Irish style pubs to fine
dining Zurich offers a host of venues to tempt its
residents. A favourite of Darwins is the Jules
Verne Panorama Bar, as well as excellent food,
wines, beers and cocktails the JVPB is home to
one of the best views of the Zurich skyline.




Outdoor Swimming

Between May and the middle of September, Outdoor Swimming Areas are open around
the lakes of Zurich and up the Limmat River. These are usually rectangular wooden
piers with a pavilion covering part of the; most offer massages, yoga and saunas, as well
as snacks.

Zurich Opera House
The ZOH holds a worldwide reputation. Offering a wide variety of performances it is an
important part of Swiss Culture. Visit www.opernhaus.ch/en/ for information on
upcoming performances. There are also a number of Art Galleries and Museums located
in Zurich. International Pop Stars often have Zurich as a destination for world tours, for
example Rihanna performed in Zurich in June 2013.




Sports in Zurich

Sport is a big part of Swiss life. Switzerland is one of the premier destinations for Skiing,
Mountaineering and most Winter Sports. Ice Hockey is very popular and the 12 teams
that make up the Swiss league are very well followed. Football is popular. A visit to FC
Zurich is a common day out for residents. Tennis has gained a huge following due in
part to the success of Swiss Legend Roger Federer. You will find the opportunity to
spectate or get involved in a wide number of sports in and around the Zurich area.