Hey, I was offered an unpaid internship with a Geneva-based NGO starting in April and was wondering how much I'd need to survive over a 4-month period? They already got the work permit for me so I just have to apply for the Visa. I have health insurance coverage so that wont be a problem. The NGO told me I need 2500 CH per month to make it Geneva and was wondering what you guys think about this estimate? My biggest concern is finding a decent 1-bedroom place to live next to the U.N. buildings. Could I find a 1-bedroom flat with a kitchen and bathroom for 500-700 CH a month or is this unrealistic?
As for my expenses, besides an apartment and food, I'd be paying for a cellphone, gym membership and occasionally going out a few times a week. I'm hoping to have some extra money left over to travel to nearby countries as well.
Everything you mention is going to be tough. They are offering you minimum wage. Could you do all you want to do if you were working at McDonalds back home ?
If you want to find anything near that budget you need to think about a shared flat, probably in one of the less popular areas of town such as Paquis (the red light district) which is at least convenient for getting to the UN. Try and get the NGO to help you as much as possible to find a place.
Everything in Geneva is expensive, including gym membership. Does the UN not have a gym you can use?
Also, is it common to find families that offer their furnished basements for rent? This is common over here as many basements include washrooms + kitchens, etc but I'm not sure if this is available in Geneva.
I will leave this to someone who knows more than me.
The same. Anywhere in Geneva which is within easy commute of the UN7City centre is going to cost you more or less the same amount. As mentioned, homegate.ch should give you a good idea of prices. For info, be very wary of craigslist prices as there are more scammers than real adverts for Geneva flats on there...
I've found several 1 bedroom flats with kitchen + bathroom for around 800-900 CH including fees (25-35 m2). Are these types of prices common or are they scammers? I've already emailed a few of them in recent weeks and they turned out to be scammers.
It's highly unlikely you will find anywhere to live for 5-700F. As was said your best bet it to find a shared place to live and then you could get away with if you are lucky 1,000 per month. And don't forget the competition for apartments is fierce. How long will you be there? If on a short term assignment your only real option is a flat share where the furniture, etc. is already there.
Check out Glocals. they have more ads/classifieds than here. And they list a few flat shares.
Most PhD students earn around 3k a month and seem to do just fine, including myself... and I'm living alone, though I guess you could say I am lucky I found the place I've got (in Zurich). I have enough to eat out every so often, I'm not starving, I'm going out for drinks...
Expect that a 3 month gym membership will be over 300CHF.
Even a dorm room in a youth hostel will be costing you at least 750chf a month.
If the UN is not able to help you, then how about looking at student websites? A room in a student flat will be cheaper.
Or are there any house sitting opportunities in Geneva?
ONe other option could be joining www.couchsurfing.org NOrmally people host (no cost) for a couple of days only, but if you scroll through the Geneva hosts, you could find some whom you could ask if they are prepared to let out a spare room at a reasonable price for 4 months.
with 500-700 you'll manage to find a one bedroom room with shared kitchen and bathrooms--try cite universitaire, or some university residences that can provide you some places for some more 'reasonable prices' though possibly for 700 if you're very very lucky you'll manage to find a studio (kitchen included in the room). it's hard to find anything decent and cheap in Geneva. but it's not possible to find. at the moment I'm living for 400 CHF per month in an independent room (little stove and oven in the room), shared bathroom, and located just a block away from UN.