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Living in Zürich

Zürich, a city in Switzerland, had a population of 436,551 at the end of 2024. At the end of 2024, the foreign population was 148,375.

Higher unemployment than 97% of Swiss cities that publish it and cleaner air than 71% of Swiss cities that publish it.

Which Switzerland-wide rules apply when you move to Zürich?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in SwitzerlandNational rates and thresholds that apply in Zürich.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

No city-level rent figure is published for Zürich. The available city-level cost figures remain below.

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Zürich recurring monthly costs, € per month€3141Private kindergarten€247Utilities, 85 m² flat€94Transport pass€76Fitness club€51Internet, 60 Mbps€33Mobile plan, 10 GB€ / month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly76.17 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month160.8 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited51.09 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly3,141 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant30.04 eur3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB33.33 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass93.88 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home247.2 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo18Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Zürich?

The unemployment rate is about 6.2 % (2021).

  • Unemployment rate: 6.15 % · Eurostat1
Unemployment across cities in SwitzerlandUnemployment in Zürich is 6.2%. Of 175 cities with data, 52 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.
unemployment rate, % · measured cities in Switzerland per band12 cities: 0% to under 1%120–151 cities: 1% to under 2%511–252 cities: 2% to under 3%522–338 cities: 3% to under 4%383–415 cities: 4% to under 5%154–52 cities: 5% to under 6%25–62 cities: 6% to under 7%26–7Zürich 6.2%1 city: 8% to under 9%18–91 city: 9% to under 10%19–101 city: 11% to under 12%111–12

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)4,640 EUR/month31 Dec 2024www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch17Official
Unemployment rate6.15 %country median 2.3%31 Dec 2021Eurostat1Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Zürich. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

arbeit.swiss — Public employment service

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs / public employment service

Job SearchCareer Counselling
Register
Open the Switzerland service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Zürich. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Destinations from nearest airport137 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights5Official
Nearest airportZRH3 Aug 2026OurAirports6Official
Distance to nearest airport10 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports6Official
Public transport monthly pass91 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Eurostat2Official

Language courses and integration in Zürich

0 exact private or nonprofit provider records are linked to this city as supplemental evidence. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally

German and orientation course in Zürich — Integration course

Stadt Zürich / Fachschule Viventa

For adults with little or no German.

GermanIn Person
Open official information
Check courses in ZürichHow the country programme works
Exact city-linked records checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Zürich?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN/BAFU) and Empa NABEL9

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Zürich average monthly daytime high and night-time low temperature, °C-10°0°10°20°30°JFMAMJJASOND24°-1°Daytime highNight-time low
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Zürich average monthly precipitation, mm035701051406360718012812812611987857683JFMAMJJASONDmm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Zürich average monthly sunshine, hours06012018024060891441781922072292161641096147JFMAMJJASONDhours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits
Zürich annual air pollutant levels against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limitsCity valueWHO guidelineEU limit5258.0PM2.5µg/m³

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in SwitzerlandAnnual PM2.5 in Zürich is 8.0 µg/m³. Of 42 cities with data, 11 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.
annual PM2.5, µg/m³ · measured cities in Switzerland per band1 city: 2 µg/m³ to under 3 µg/m³12–33 cities: 6 µg/m³ to under 7 µg/m³36–78 cities: 7 µg/m³ to under 8 µg/m³87–811 cities: 8 µg/m³ to under 9 µg/m³118–9Zürich 8.09 cities: 9 µg/m³ to under 10 µg/m³99–108 cities: 10 µg/m³ to under 11 µg/m³810–111 city: 16 µg/m³ to under 17 µg/m³116–171 city: 17 µg/m³ to under 18 µg/m³117–18

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean8 µg/m³country median 8.831 Dec 2024Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN/BAFU) and Empa NABEL9Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 3.5 · Feb 5.2 · Mar 10.2 · Apr 14.8 · May 18.8 · Jun 22.4 · Jul 24.3 · Aug 23.9 · Sep 19.1 · Oct 13.8 · Nov 7.6 · Dec 4 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI12Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -1.4 · Feb -1.2 · Mar 1.9 · Apr 5.1 · May 9 · Jun 12.6 · Jul 14.4 · Aug 14.3 · Sep 10.7 · Oct 7.1 · Nov 2.5 · Dec -0.5 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI13Official
Average temperature by monthJan 0.9 · Feb 1.8 · Mar 5.8 · Apr 9.6 · May 13.6 · Jun 17.1 · Jul 19 · Aug 18.6 · Sep 14.4 · Oct 10 · Nov 4.9 · Dec 1.7 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI14Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 63 · Feb 60.3 · Mar 71.2 · Apr 80.4 · May 128.2 · Jun 127.6 · Jul 126 · Aug 119.1 · Sep 87.4 · Oct 85.2 · Nov 76.1 · Dec 83.4 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI15Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 59.7 · Feb 88.6 · Mar 143.8 · Apr 177.5 · May 191.7 · Jun 207.3 · Jul 229.4 · Aug 215.7 · Sep 164.1 · Oct 108.7 · Nov 60.7 · Dec 47.1 hours31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI16Official

Cities of a similar size in Switzerland

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Switzerland cities
Genève209,061 residentsBasel177,571 residentsLausanne144,873 residentsBern137,995 residentsWinterthur120,376 residentsLuzern86,234 residents

Population and city profile

How many people live in Zürich?

The published population was 436,551 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source11

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population
Zürich residents by nationalityBy nationalityNational passport66%Foreign residents34%

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents408 cars per 1000 people31 Dec 2024Eurostat2Official
City area87.97 km²2016Exact BFS Arealstatistik municipality area: sum of exhaustive NOAS top-level categories 1-4, PERIOD=A4 (2013-2018), FJ=2016, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km².4Official
Foreign Nonpermanent Resident Population Total4,557 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official
Foreign-resident share34.9 %31 Dec 2025Eurostat3Official
Foreign residents148,375 people31 Dec 2024Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.8Official
Nonpermanent Resident Population Total4,557 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official
Population density4,963 people/km²31 Dec 2024Reproducible density from BFS STATPOP permanent population at 31.12.2024 divided by the exact official BFS municipality area denominator (2013-2018; FJ=2016; area observed_at=2016).4Official
Population436,551 people31 Dec 2024Switzerland official denominator source11Official
Swiss Nonpermanent Resident Population Total0 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official
Swiss Permanent Resident Population Total288,176 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official
Foreign residents over time10 published observations, 2016–2025
Foreign residents in Zürich by year, residents139,985180,537221,088261,64020162018202020222025253,250residents

Foreign residents rose 19.4% between 2016 and 2025, from 212,039 to 253,250.

International community in Zürich

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total440,935100.0%
In Switzerland242,59355.0%
Abroad198,34245.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source10

Country of birth

Non-permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total4,579100.0%
Abroad4,54899.3%
In Switzerland310.7%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source10

Citizenship

Non-permanent resident population, total sex, all ages · 2025-12-31

Published groupPeopleShare
Citizenship - total4,579100.0%
Germany78817.2%
Ukraine3728.1%
United Kingdom2976.5%
Poland2806.1%
India2695.9%
Italy2575.6%
United States1984.3%
Spain1613.5%
China1543.4%
Show 108 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
France1363.0%
Afghanistan1202.6%
Netherlands912.0%
Slovakia902.0%
Somalia821.8%
Austria781.7%
Japan601.3%
Sweden591.3%
Eritrea551.2%
Australia481.0%
Portugal400.9%
Russia400.9%
Ethiopia400.9%
Belgium370.8%
Türkiye370.8%
Ireland320.7%
Serbia310.7%
Singapore310.7%
Cuba300.7%
Syria290.6%
Denmark270.6%
Romania270.6%
South Korea270.6%
Greece260.6%
Hungary250.5%
Israel220.5%
Czechia210.5%
Algeria190.4%
Canada190.4%
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)180.4%
Iran180.4%
Norway170.4%
Brazil170.4%
Philippines170.4%
Finland160.3%
Colombia150.3%
Mexico140.3%
Bulgaria130.3%
Morocco130.3%
Egypt120.3%
Sri Lanka120.3%
Iraq120.3%
Slovenia110.2%
Malaysia110.2%
Thailand110.2%
Croatia90.2%
South Africa90.2%
Pakistan90.2%
Estonia80.2%
Guinea80.2%
Chile80.2%
Kuwait80.2%
Angola70.2%
Luxembourg60.1%
Bosnia and Herzegovina60.1%
North Macedonia60.1%
Lithuania50.1%
Tanzania50.1%
No indication40.1%
Gambia40.1%
Sierra Leone40.1%
Argentina40.1%
Palestine40.1%
Georgia40.1%
Albania30.1%
Malta30.1%
Ghana30.1%
Cameroon30.1%
Congo (Kinshasa)30.1%
Sudan30.1%
Tunisia30.1%
Mongolia30.1%
Vietnam30.1%
New Zealand30.1%
Iceland20.0%
Liechtenstein20.0%
Cyprus20.0%
Kosovo20.0%
Latvia20.0%
Moldova20.0%
Belarus20.0%
Benin20.0%
Libya20.0%
South Sudan20.0%
Venezuela20.0%
Indonesia20.0%
Jordan20.0%
Bangladesh20.0%
Azerbaijan20.0%
Côte d'Ivoire10.0%
Kenya10.0%
Madagascar10.0%
Mali10.0%
Nigeria10.0%
Zimbabwe10.0%
Senegal10.0%
Uganda10.0%
Costa Rica10.0%
Dominican Republic10.0%
El Salvador10.0%
Guatemala10.0%
Peru10.0%
Trinidad and Tobago10.0%
Antigua and Barbuda10.0%
United Arab Emirates10.0%
Saudi Arabia10.0%
Armenia10.0%
Turkmenistan10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source10

Is Zürich a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker62%strong on work, weak on safety · range 52–72%
Skilled employee64%strong on work, weak on safety · range 54–74%
Student63%strong on cost, weak on safety · range 51–75%
Family53%strong on family, weak on safety · range 41–65%
Retirement59%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 47–71%
Foreign residents148,375 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.
Population436,551 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Switzerland official denominator source
Median gross salary (regional)4,640 EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch
Unemployment rate6.15 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Eurostat
PM2.5 — annual mean8 µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN/BAFU) and Empa NABEL
Cars per 1,000 residents408 cars per 1000 people31 Dec 2024Official source · Eurostat
Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Zürich under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Zürich?

The published population was 436,551 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Zürich?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 8 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN/BAFU) and Empa NABEL.

What is the unemployment rate in Zürich?

The unemployment rate is about 6.2 % (2021). Source: Eurostat.

What is the typical salary around Zürich?

The median gross salary is 4,640 EUR/month. Source: www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch.

How many foreign residents live in Zürich?

148,375 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024..

How much is public transport in Zürich?

A monthly transport pass is 93.88 EUR/month. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Numbeo.

Is Zürich a good place to live?

Zürich may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Place of birth - total live in Zürich?

The official country of birth distribution records 440,935 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2025-12-31. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Zürich, Switzerland: salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/0261-zurich/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_zurich-switzerland-salary-cost-of-living_c7f716213ef8,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Zürich, Switzerland: salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/0261-zurich/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Zürich, Switzerland: salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/0261-zurich/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  2. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
  3. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
  4. Exact BFS Arealstatistik municipality area: sum of exhaustive NOAS top-level categories 1-4, PERIOD=A4 (2013-2018), FJ=2016, municipality REGION state 2025-01-01; hectares converted to km². disseminate.stats.swiss · checked 2026-07-15
  5. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
  6. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  7. Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 2024 pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-18
  8. Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024. pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2024-12-31
  9. Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN/BAFU) and Empa NABEL bafu.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-04
  10. Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-30
Show 8 more sources
  1. Switzerland official denominator source pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-14
  2. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  3. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  4. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  5. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  6. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  7. www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-27
  8. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.