Moving to Switzerland - Finding Accommodation

Current accommodation market situation

Rents vary considerably depending on the district and the size of the apartment. The table below gives you a brief summary of the average levels of rent (in Swiss francs) for a variety of sizes of apartment (status as of May 2003)

• Apartment 1 room 600
• Apartment 2 rooms 820
• Apartment 3 rooms 970
• Apartment 4 rooms 1’220
• Apartment 5 rooms 1’550

In order to convert these amounts into Euros, you should currently multiply the numbers by 0.65 (by using a Currency Calculator).

You should however note that these prices may vary considerably depending on whether you are looking for accommodation in the city centre or in the country.

Finding the ideal apartment or house

Despite the shortage of available accommodation that is beleaguering the market at present, with a little patience and tenacity you still have a good chance of finding something suitable within a reasonable time. There are a variety of aids that will help you succeed in your search. 

For example, you can:

• scour the property pages of the local, regional and national newspapers;
• check out internet sites that specialise in apartment hunting; you will find a selection in the related links;
• contact the commune where you would like to live (most Swiss communes have an up-to-date list of vacant apartments in their area);
• make direct contact with the property management companies that operate in your region of choice (see the list of related links).

Buying property

If you are a citizen of an EU or EFTA member state, you basically have the same rights to buy property as any Swiss person. You must however hold a proper residence permit.

The purchase of a second home close to one's place of work by cross-border commuters from EU or EFTA member states does not normally require special authorisation. 

For more detailed information on this topic, see this page from the Federal Office of Justice on the acquisition of real estate by persons living outside Switzerland.

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2006
Reproduction is authorised.