Hi,
I'll be relocated to CH in mid-March. I can choose any place (I work from home and visit clients ocasionally) in west CH as long as it's not too far from Lausanne or Zurich, which is basically anywhere. I've been living (short-term) in Lugano and Zurich.
I'm used to big cities and activities and I know Switzerland can be pretty boring, so I want to avoid that. I need a place where I can meet new people and not die out of depression.
I don't speak German but English, Spanish, Italian and some French, so french-speaking city is a plus. I'm thinking about Lausanne or Geneva, but Bern is also in a good location.
I'd like to have opinions of people living in these cities, or suggestions, things to have in mind are:
- City size and activity
- Rent prices
- Good connection to airports
- Source Tax rate
Thanks everybody!
Unless you`re a millionaire or in-waiting, first pick which criteria is most important to you.
My quick run down
Geneva - City size and activity
Bern - Rent prices
Bern - Good connection to airports (Both Zurich and Geneva equally reachable)
All cities equally bad - Source Tax rate
Why not have a look at Fribourg? It’s pretty much equi-distant between Geneva and Zurich, you can speak French while learning German (the canton’s bi-lingual) and good connections to the airports. Cheaper rents most likely too and cheaper taxes than Lausanne or Zurich I would think.
If you have a choice, then avoid one of Switzerland's crime hotspots (Lausanne).
Fribourg, Neuchâtel - or Murten, in the middle (the latter isn't a city, but should be considered).
It's Neuchâtel.
I would agree to solid Lausanne and Geneva. High rents and difficult to find a place to rent as well as high crime rate.
Neuchatel is a pretty good location in terms of accessibility to airports and rail connections ( it's about equidistant from Geneva, Basel and Zurich airports.)
Rents are cheaper and places somewhat easier to come by BUT taxes are quite high here.
In terms if nightlife and things to do it's probably very similar to Fribourg but it is very near to France for shopping etc.
For some reason, auto correct wanted to insert an 'f' as soon as I added the circumflex to the 'a', and completely created a new word without the 'â'.
I noticed quite soon after and corrected - but obviously not quick enough to get away with it.
It does it to me all the time so I've got very good at spotting it.
You can use google to find out more about the various cities/towns, but I found this on Fribourg.
http://www.expats-fribourg.ch/
Should give you a good idea of whether or not it might suit what you’re looking for.
Hi,
Thank you all for the feedback. Fribourg is too small... one of my colleagues already lives there and tells me to find somewhere with more activity and less snow haha.
I am surprised about the comment telling that Lausanne and Geneva have high crime rates... But I don't know if the average swiss crime rate is too low to consider those cities as "dangerous"... I felt completely safe in Lugano and Zurich.
Apparently, a Chelsea fan was prevented from getting on the Lausanne to Geneva train.
Looks like Bern, baby, Bern is your only other option.
Ignore them. Move to Lausanne.
Based on your criteria I would say Lausanne ..