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Living in Cham

In Cham, unemployment is 1.8% (2022).

At the end of 2024, Cham had a population of 18,273. The resident counts list 13,218 Swiss permanent residents and 113 non-permanent residents at the end of 2024.

Last checked 2026-09-2429 sources

Population18,273people31 Dec 2024Official source · Switzerland official denominator source
Median gross salary (region)7,445EUR/month31 Dec 2024Official source · www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch
Average net rent22.57EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2024Regional figureOfficial source · Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton)
Unemployment rate1.8%country median 2.3% — 22% belowOfficial source · Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO
Recorded crime4,756incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025Regional figureOfficial source · Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS) 2025, tables T3/T8/T9
PM2.5, annual mean4.22µg/m³31 Dec 2024Nearest stationOfficial source · Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged)

Lower unemployment than 72% of Swiss cities that publish it and cleaner air than 98% of Swiss cities that publish it.

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

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 Cham.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Cham recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€71
Mobile plan, 10 GB€56
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited70.68 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Swisscom blue Internet S13Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB56.03 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Salt Swiss 10GB9Official · national market
Average net rent (nettokalt)22.57 EUR/m²/month31 Dec 2024Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton)5Official · regional context

Is Cham 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 worker66%strong on work, weak on safety · range 55–77%
Skilled employee71%strong on work, weak on education · range 61–81%
Student41%strong on legal route, weak on education · range 29–53%
Family65%strong on family, weak on education · range 53–77%
Retirement37%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 23–51%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Cham?

The unemployment rate is 1.8 % (2022). Source: Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO2

Unemployment across cities in SwitzerlandUnemployment in Cham is 1.8%. Of 176 cities with data, 52 have unemployment of 2 to under 3%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Median gross salary (regional)7,445 EUR/month31 Dec 2024www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch20Official
Unemployment rate1.8 %country median 2.3%31 Dec 2022Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO2Official

What does a salary buy in Cham?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €7,445 (pxweb.bfs.admin.ch, 2024-12-31).
Left over each month€4,731of €6,212 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€6,212
Rent, 60 m²€22.57/m² · official · Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton) · 2024-12-31− €1,354
Internet€71 · official · Swisscom blue Internet S · 2026-09-30− €71
Mobile plan€56 · official · Salt Swiss 10GB · 2026-09-30− €56
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€4,731
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Cham Salary needed to live in Cham

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Cham. 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 Cham. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

Recorded crime across major citiesCham highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Cham highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Solothurn25,779
Bern20,196
Interlaken18,896
Olten15,369
Kloten13,097
St. Gallen9,783
Winterthur7,988
Muri bei Bern5,389
Wetzikon (ZH)4,048
Küsnacht (ZH)3,718
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents4,756 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2025Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS) 2025, tables T3/T8/T98Official · regional context

Mobility and administration

MetricValuePeriodSource
Nearest airportEML3 Aug 2026OurAirports6Official
Distance to nearest airport16 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports6Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Cham. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Cantonal integration programmes — Newcomer Adaptation

SEM and cantons

For migrants, refugees.

German, French, ItalianIn Person
Open official information

fide language promotion system — State Language Course

State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)

For adult migrants.

German, French, ItalianIn Person, Online
Open official information
Open the full Switzerland section
National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Cham.

Find courses near Cham

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Cham?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 4.2 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline.

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

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 4.22 µg/m³ · Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged)1
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

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

PM2.5 across cities in SwitzerlandOf 43 cities with data, 12 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean4.22 µg/m³31 Dec 2024Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged)1Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 3.5 · Feb 5.2 · Mar 10.2 · Apr 14.8 · May 19 · Jun 22.6 · Jul 24.5 · Aug 23.9 · Sep 19.1 · Oct 13.9 · Nov 7.9 · Dec 4.2 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI15Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -1.4 · Feb -1.2 · Mar 1.9 · Apr 5.2 · May 9.3 · Jun 12.9 · Jul 14.7 · Aug 14.5 · Sep 10.9 · Oct 7.3 · Nov 2.7 · Dec -0.4 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI16Official
Average temperature by monthJan 1 · Feb 1.8 · Mar 5.8 · Apr 9.8 · May 13.9 · Jun 17.5 · Jul 19.3 · Aug 18.9 · Sep 14.7 · Oct 10.3 · Nov 5.2 · Dec 1.9 °C31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI17Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 79.7 · Feb 77.5 · Mar 88.7 · Apr 93.7 · May 139.5 · Jun 149.2 · Jul 155.4 · Aug 163.3 · Sep 115.5 · Oct 99.4 · Nov 95 · Dec 105 mm31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI18Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 55.7 · Feb 87 · Mar 143.7 · Apr 182.7 · May 197.7 · Jun 215.7 · Jul 234.2 · Aug 217.6 · Sep 160.9 · Oct 106.9 · Nov 56.7 · Dec 44.5 hours31 Dec 1991World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI19Official

Similar climate. In Switzerland: Zürich ±0.1 °C. Elsewhere: Berlin (Germany) ±0.7 °C, Cottbus (Germany) ±0.9 °C, Hoyerswerda (Germany) ±0.9 °C, Werl (Germany) ±1.0 °C, Traunreut (Germany) ±1.0 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Cham?

The published population was 18,273 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source14

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

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

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents738.4 cars/1000 residents31 Dec 2024Swiss Federal Statistical Office/OFS/BFS12Official
City area17.74 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 km².3Official
Foreign non-permanent residents113 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official
Foreign residents5,055 people31 Dec 2024Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024.10Official
Non-permanent residents113 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official
Population density1,030 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).3Official
Population18,273 people31 Dec 2024Switzerland official denominator source14Official
Swiss non-permanent residents0 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official
Swiss permanent residents13,218 people31 Dec 2024Permanent and non permanent resident population by municipality, resident type and citizenship, 20247Official

International community in Cham

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 - total18,518100.0%
In Switzerland12,32866.6%
Abroad6,19033.4%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source11

Country of birth

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Place of birth - total107100.0%
Abroad107100.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source11

Citizenship

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

Published groupPeopleShare
Citizenship - total18,518100.0%
Switzerland13,35272.1%
Germany8954.8%
Italy4532.4%
Türkiye2481.3%
United Kingdom2431.3%
Spain2111.1%
Portugal1871.0%
Kosovo1690.9%
Serbia1570.8%
Show 101 more groups
Published groupPeopleShare
France1510.8%
Poland1470.8%
Austria1300.7%
Bosnia and Herzegovina1230.7%
Ukraine1090.6%
Croatia1010.5%
Netherlands960.5%
Russia930.5%
Hungary900.5%
United States900.5%
Eritrea880.5%
Greece810.4%
India800.4%
North Macedonia630.3%
Sri Lanka620.3%
Belgium600.3%
Romania600.3%
Slovakia570.3%
Brazil510.3%
Somalia490.3%
Afghanistan460.2%
China460.2%
Syria460.2%
Bulgaria420.2%
Sweden390.2%
Ireland370.2%
Czechia360.2%
Latvia310.2%
Finland280.2%
Philippines250.1%
Canada230.1%
Iraq200.1%
Denmark180.1%
Ethiopia180.1%
Thailand170.1%
Iran160.1%
Israel140.1%
Australia130.1%
Slovenia120.1%
Lithuania120.1%
Japan120.1%
Singapore120.1%
South Africa110.1%
Colombia110.1%
Kazakhstan110.1%
South Korea90.0%
Estonia80.0%
Algeria80.0%
Argentina80.0%
Ecuador80.0%
Peru80.0%
Malaysia80.0%
Iceland70.0%
Liechtenstein70.0%
Nigeria70.0%
Egypt70.0%
Mexico70.0%
Norway60.0%
Cuba60.0%
Saudi Arabia60.0%
Vietnam60.0%
Uzbekistan60.0%
Luxembourg50.0%
Malta50.0%
Dominican Republic50.0%
Venezuela50.0%
Albania40.0%
Cyprus40.0%
Belarus40.0%
Angola40.0%
Ghana40.0%
Tunisia40.0%
Chile40.0%
Costa Rica40.0%
Indonesia40.0%
New Zealand40.0%
Côte d'Ivoire30.0%
Cameroon30.0%
Madagascar30.0%
Yemen30.0%
Nepal30.0%
Pakistan30.0%
Stateless20.0%
Montenegro20.0%
Moldova20.0%
Morocco20.0%
Sudan20.0%
Panama20.0%
Lebanon20.0%
No indication10.0%
Benin10.0%
Kenya10.0%
Libya10.0%
Burkina Faso10.0%
Rwanda10.0%
Bolivia10.0%
Jamaica10.0%
Myanmar10.0%
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)10.0%
Bangladesh10.0%
Georgia10.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source11

Alternatives for people set on Cham

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Steinhausen as a Cham alternative in the same region

3 km away, better on 1 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

  • Unemployment: 1.5% Steinhausen vs 1.8% Cham−17%
  • Residents: 10,399 Steinhausen vs 18,273 Cham−43%
  • Nearest airport: 18.0 km Steinhausen vs 16.0 km Cham+13%
  • Rent: €22.57/m² Steinhausen vs €22.57/m² Chamsame level
  • Median gross pay, region: €7,445 Steinhausen vs €7,445 Chamsame level
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 4,756 Steinhausen vs 4,756 Chamsame level
  • Annual PM2.5: 4.2 µg/m³ Steinhausen vs 4.2 µg/m³ Chamsame level
Full comparisonMore about Steinhausen

Bern as a Cham alternative in the same country

81 km away, better on 1 of 3 metrics measured the same way, worse on 0. Rent and recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Residents: 137,995 Bern vs 18,273 Cham+655%
  • Rent: €18.05/m² (2021) Bern vs €22.57/m² (2024) Chamno percentage
  • Nearest airport: 6.0 km Bern vs 16.0 km Cham−63%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 20,196 Bern vs 4,756 Chamno percentage
  • Median gross pay, region: €7,310 Bern vs €7,445 Chamsame level
Full comparisonMore about Bern

Cities near Cham

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Alternative cities in Switzerland

Other cities in Switzerland to compare with Cham, nearest in population first.

All Switzerland cities
Ostermundigen18,326 residentsMuttenz18,120 residentsThalwil18,513 residentsGrenchen18,602 residentsGossau (SG)18,633 residentsSierre17,829 residents

How does Cham compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Cham's.

Open the full comparison

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Cham 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.

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 4 to 15, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: Einführungsklassen / integrative DaZ-Sprachförderung (per canton). How to enrol a child (edk.ch).

A country-wide rule for Switzerland; Cham's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Is Cham part of Zug?

Cham is in the published commuting zone of Zug; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub. Zug city profile

Relationship type: Commuting Zone Of. Source4

Put Cham's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

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

How many people live in Cham?

The published population was 18,273 people in 2024. Source: Switzerland official denominator source.

Is the air quality good in Cham?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 4.2 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline. Source: Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged).

What is the unemployment rate in Cham?

The unemployment rate is 1.8 % (2022). Source: Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO.

What is the typical salary around Cham?

The median gross salary is 7,445 EUR/month. Source: www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch.

Is Cham a good place to live?

Cham 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.

Is Cham part of Zug?

Cham is in the published commuting zone of Zug; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub.

Which cities are near Cham?

Zug, Hünenberg, Steinhausen, Risch, Baar are near Cham. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

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

The official country of birth distribution records 18,518 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, October 16). Cham, Switzerland: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 9396e58c8fde8161d5fb5f0dca51343a]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/1702-cham/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_cham-switzerland-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_dcf4e27b019e,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Cham, Switzerland: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {9396e58c8fde8161d5fb5f0dca51343a},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/1702-cham/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Cham, Switzerland: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/ch/1702-cham/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 9396e58c8fde8161d5fb5f0dca51343a; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

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. Annual AQ statistics (AirBase & e-Reporting merged) discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-23
  2. Bundesamt für Statistik (BFS/FSO), source data SECO dam-api.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-04
  3. 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
  4. GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
  5. Loyer moyen par m2 en francs selon le nombre de pièces, par canton (mean rent per m2 in CHF by number of rooms and canton) dam-api.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-09-24
  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. Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik (PKS) 2025, tables T3/T8/T9 dam-api.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-09-24
  9. Salt Swiss 10GB salt.ch · checked 2026-09-15
  10. Ständige Wohnbevölkerung, Staatsangehörigkeit = Ausland, Gemeinde grain, 31.12.2024. pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2024-12-31
Show 19 more sources
  1. Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-30
  2. Swiss Federal Statistical Office/OFS/BFS pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-08
  3. Swisscom blue Internet S swisscom.ch · checked 2026-09-15
  4. Switzerland official denominator source pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-07-14
  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. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  8. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  9. World Meteorological Organization / NOAA NCEI nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-03
  10. www.pxweb.bfs.admin.ch pxweb.bfs.admin.ch · checked 2026-08-27
  11. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  12. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  13. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  14. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  15. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  16. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  17. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  18. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  19. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06

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.