EN 🇬🇧
Join now

Countries · Student guide

svizzera

Updated on Jul 28, 2026

Cost of living
Very high

Typical spending band for a student

Language
DE / FR / IT

Main language to handle day to day

Currency
CHF

Local currency for banking and payments

Visas
Medium

Typical visa/permit process complexity

Overview

In Switzerland, the real leap is not just rent, but the combination of sick pay, deposit, half-yearly premium and daily expenses in CHF. The administrative order is high: those who arrive prepared live well, those who suddenly feel the cost immediately.

What really changes here

  • Compulsory health insurance (LAMal/KVG): free cash choice, significant monthly premium
  • Residence permit for study related to admission and demonstrable financial means
  • High rents even in "medium" cities; precise contracts and tenant register
  • Transportation: GA/Halbtax or regional passes — car not needed on urban campuses
  • Four national languages: documents and services change between canton German, French, Italian
  • Payments: dominant TWINT; essential CHF account

Ideal if…

  • Those with a solid bag or family that covers part of the CHF budget
  • Students of engineering, hospitality, research with a clear contract
  • Lovers of the outdoors, urban safety and punctual transport
  • Ticino or Romandia if you prefer Italian/French

Harder if…

  • "Erasmus Spain" style budget without CHF adjustment
  • Cheap Studio Flats in Zurich/Geneva Last-Minute
  • You don't want to compare insurance premiums before arrival
  • You expect fast bureaucracy like in low-cost EU countries

Arrival checklist

First 7 days

  1. Accommodation with a registrable contract at Gemeinde
  2. Cantonal Migration Office Permit / Confirmation
  3. Open CHF account (PostFinance, UBS, cantonal bank)
  4. Take out basic insurance within 3 months (better now)
  5. University registration + student card
  6. SIM Swisscom/Salt/Sunrise or prepaid
  7. Buy regional or semi-annual transport subscription
Mistakes to avoid
  • Remaining without basic insurance — penalties and risk
  • Underestimating excess and insurance model
  • Sign unauthorized subletting in regulated buildings
  • Spend the entire budget of the first month without CHF buffer per deposit

City guides

Cities in Switzerland

Neighborhoods, rent, universities, transport and safety: everything you need to choose where to move.

Zurigo
  • from 850 CHFroom/month
  • 5universities
  • 8neighborhoods

The economic capital of Switzerland and one of the world's major financial and technology hubs, Zurich offers top-notch salaries, first-class safety and model public transport. It is home to the Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and the University of Zurich, among the best universities in Europe. The downside is the cost of living, among the highest in the world: very expensive rents and a very tough real estate market. You live on the lake, with mountains an hour away and a quality of life that is constantly at the top of the world rankings.

Open city guideGinevra
  • from 900 CHFroom/month
  • 5universities
  • 8neighborhoods

World capital of diplomacy and heart of French-speaking Switzerland, Geneva is home to the UN, WHO, CERN and hundreds of international organizations and NGOs, as well as a large banking and luxury hub. It is a small, cosmopolitan and safe city, overlooking the lake with the famous Jet d'Eau and the Alps just a stone's throw away. Home to the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute. The cost of living is among the highest in the world, with one of the most difficult rental markets, but salaries and quality of life are at the top.

Open city guideBasilea
  • from 800 CHFroom/month
  • 5universities
  • 8neighborhoods

Swiss capital of culture and pharmaceuticals, Basel is located on the Rhine at the corner of the three borders with Germany and France. It is the city of life sciences (world headquarters of Roche and Novartis), museums (almost 40, including the Kunstmuseum and Fondation Beyeler) and Art Basel. Home to the oldest university in Switzerland (1460), it is compact, safe and crossed by the Rhine, where in summer you dive to be carried by the current. High cost of living, but a little more affordable than Zurich and Geneva, with a unique international and tri-national dimension.

Open city guideLugano
  • from 640 CHFroom/month
  • 5universities
  • 8neighborhoods

The main city of Italian Switzerland, Lugano combines Mediterranean charm - lake, palm trees, mild climate - with Swiss solidity. It is an important financial centre, home to the University of Italian Switzerland (USI) and SUPSI, with a strong international footprint and proximity to Milan (just over an hour by train). Italian is spoken, making it the most natural gateway into Switzerland for Italians. The cost of living is high, but more affordable than Zurich, Geneva and Basel, and many cross-border commuters live in nearby Italy.

Open city guide
Move checklist Plan documents and deadlines step by step

Go deeper

Guides by category

Pick a topic to get started — bureaucracy, housing, work, and more.