Zurich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and Zurich's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.
Should you base here?
What this city's own numbers say about who it fits, how long you can realistically stay, and what to weigh before committing.
A good base for
- Heavy remote work — median internet is fast enough for calls and uploads
- Working out of cafés and coworking — there's a real scene here
- Travelers who prioritise feeling safe day to day
- People sensitive to air quality — the air reads clean
Less ideal for
- Tight budgets — this is a premium-priced base
How long can you stay?
Comfortable for a few months at a time — the default entry is about 90 days. Stack longer with a visa run or a longer-stay permit.
What to weigh first
- BudgetPlan around it Monthly costs land around $5,500 — this is an expensive base.
Before you commit
- Official visa & entry rules for this country
- Visa data last reviewed 2026-04-27T14:12:42.026567+00:00.
This is a starting point, not legal or tax advice. Rules change — always confirm with official government sources before making plans.
Want this as a shareable brief — the trade-offs, a stay-length plan, and the checks to run? Generate a Decision Report (Pro).
Decision Report
A one-page brief for this city — your Fit Score, monthly cost, visa difficulty, tax-residency risk, best months, and the caveats to check first.
| Metric | Value | Score | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Speed | 185 Mbps | 9/10 | Estimated | |
| Cost of Living | $5,500 /mo | 0/10 | Estimated | |
| Rent 1BR | $2,400 /mo | 3/10 | Estimated | |
| Safety Score | 9.5 /10 | 10/10 | Estimated | |
| Coworking | 40 spaces | 10/10 | ||
| Avg Temperature | 11.2°C | 5/10 |
Rent: 1BR city-centre estimate (USD/mo) compiled from NomadList, Expatistan and public nomad guides. Not officially sourced — use as a comparison signal, not a quote.
Cost breakdown
Assumes a central, single-occupancy lifestyle with moderate eating out. The total includes rent; non-rent items are estimated from regional patterns.
| Item | Detail | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Central 1BR apartment | $2,400 | 44% |
| Food | Groceries + moderate dining out | $1,488 | 27% |
| Transport & comms | Local transit + mobile / internet | $682 | 12% |
| Other | Leisure, essentials, buffer | $930 | 17% |
| Total | Monthly estimate | $5,500 | 100% |
Rent is a published estimate (actual figure); other items are an estimated split of the total.
Climate Overview
Monthly temperature averaged from 2015–2024 (Open-Meteo archive). Humidity is an estimate from annual average.
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Avg temperature | 11.2°C | 2015–2024 average |
| Warmest month | 25.06°C | Jul |
| Coldest month | -1.65°C | Jan |
| Humidity (annual) | 79% | Comfort range 40–60% |
| Sunshine | 3,031 h | Annual total |
| Precipitation | 1,219 mm | Annual total |
Air Quality
GoodObserved: 2026-07-28 08:00
Visa Information
| Type | tourist |
|---|---|
| Max Stay | 90 days |
| Apply | Official site → |
Tax Overview
| N/A |
Next Actions
Everything you need to move here.
| Find a stay | Hotels & apartments via Booking.com | Browse stays → |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad insurance | Global health coverage from SafetyWing | Get insured → |
| Get an eSIM | Stay connected on arrival with Airalo | View eSIM plans → |
| Move money | Low-fee international transfers with Wise | Open account → |
City alerts are a Pro feature
Upgrade to Pro to receive weekly email alerts when city metrics change.
- Lisbon rent estimate changed +8% this month.
- Thailand updated a visa rule — review your saved Bangkok plan.
- You're 20 days from a tax-residency threshold in Portugal.
- Schengen days are running low for your Spain → Portugal route.