I am interested in knowing about Zurich and Basel, and possibly alternatives.
I am a Software Engineer and along with the necessity of relocation to a city with good IT opportunities a also would like to know about the weather. Looks like Basel it's a bit warmer than Zurich but in actuality does it make any real difference?
I read that living close to the border has its advantages, but I also would like to know how much it really affects the people living in Basel. How often would people go over to the neighbours to go to a supermarket for example. Or what would be the reasons people would usually go there.
We shop "over the border" be it in France or Germany quite a lot. We either catch the tram to Weil am Rhein or drive to nearby Lorrach (sorry, UK keyboard, no easy umlaut) or less near Mulhouse.
Honestly, it's a lot cheaper to do so. The weather is pretty reasonable - certainly at the moment. No idea if that's typical, however, or anomalous, we've not been here long enough to know.
According to the Googleator Weil am Rhein (all one place name) is 6.6 k from the centre of Basel - you can get there on the No 8 tram takes about 15-20 mins. Driving less.
It is obviously further from Zurich - you'll have to look that one up yourself!
Lorrach - you'll really need a car as the tram stops about 10 minutes(depending on leg length) from the border. Plus stuff is cheaper and you'll probably buy more - but within the legal limits of course.
Do you have a job lined up can I ask? Probably best to sort that first.
My bad! I thought they were 2 different places and google maps placed me in some strange places I guess.
I don't have a job yet, but im not too worried about getting a job, I am more concerned about finding the best place to work/live. As soon as I define where to work I will start preparing myself.
I have an UE citizenship and I think that will help when looking for work.
Actually I even consider other countries, I am just planning ahead of time and I think Switzerland is heading the list of choices. I am currently living in Dublin Ireland and the weather here is not great. We have loads of jobs here but Switzerland seems to have some good jobs also.
I'm honestly not trying to rain on your parade/wazz on your raspberries (cultural differences apply) but I really think that job first is the way to go. Having a place you like the look of and could see yourself living in is one thing - getting a job there is another. And do your costings - I know Dublin can be an expensive city but Switzerland is a whole 'nother level - health insurance, rent, running a car for instance may all be a lot more expensive than you realise.
I have not many reasons to move from Ireland but the motivation of finding a better place to live. I think finding a job is crucial but at this point I have to make a really good move as I am not too young and have a wife and daughter to look after.
I think finding a job is hard enough but so is finding a good place to live.
Fortunately IT has jobs everywhere and with dedication and preparation I can get a job where I decide to live. It's not an easy move though, it really needs focus and patience and a bit of coordination. That's how I approached when moving to Ireland. The objetive was to learn some english while improving and gaining some international working experience.
I think Ireland it's a very expensive place to live but salaries go along, and I think the same happens in most places in Europe. I would imagine Switzerland is no exception. Please advise.
Basel is much smaller then Zurich, there are more possibilities to shop over the border , but there are more jobs in the area of zurich, the payment should be better as well, the taxes are lower in zurich(Basel-Stadt is quiet expensive in this case).Flights from BSL are cheaper then from ZRH.
But ZRH has much more connections, you can go as far as HKG/SIN/DXB/DOH/LAX/IAD/NRT for example without changing the plane/Airline.
There are much more possibilties in Zurich , if you are interested in the nightlife.
Basel is much quieter .You can walk through the entire city in around 35 mins.
There are not much empty flats (around 0.2 %) in Basel(about the same in Zurich), The rent of a flat in Basel is lower then in zurich. The health insurance in Basel is more expensive then in zurich.
The weather is better here in basel, there is not much fog , the Tram got WiFi(Free), the zoo is nice, you can advantage of the bell outlet(shop meat and fish
for incredible low prices), you can take the S-Bahn to Lörrach (takes around 10 min from Basel Bad Station), there is a cheap day ticket to shop over the border
Lörrach/St. Louis/Pratteln/Basel for 8 Euros: Tri Regio Mini
You can make small trips to Arlesheim/Laufen , it does not take long to get out of the city
IT is not a recession-proof area in Switzerland or probably anywhere. Here is an article on unemployed IT workers in Switzerland that might be informative:
As you know, Switzerland is not part of the EU. Although, generally, EU citizens can seek employment in Switzerland due to bilateral agreements with the EU, there are special rules for citizens of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia, in spite of the fact that they are in the EU. If more information on immigration is needed, you might wish to consult ch.ch:
Weather issue: The real difference is about fog. Basel has far less fog than Zürich, it's on two opposite sides of the Jura-montaints. Jura is not high but it does make a real difference for fog. No lake in Basel so no fog either.
To compare a salary and purchasing power of Dublin/Ireland vs e.g., Zurich/Switzerland, multiply by 2. I.e., EUR60k is about the same as say CHF120k in terms of your quality of life, affordability, etc., .
If you got 75Kchf before tax, you will pay around 10500 sfr tax p.a, 5500 sfr health insurance(depends on your franchise)p.a, the rent could be around 1000-1300 sfr
per month(depends on the size), for one person you around 300-400 sfr for food and beverage(lower then 300 sfr per month is quiet hard, but possible) per month
The internet/phone/TV is another 100 sfr per month, Billag (TV+Internet 450 sfr, Internet only 161 sfr p.a)
€3700x12 net per month in Dublin vs CHF8100x12 (in Zürich.
Probably marginally better off in Zürich in terms of net income per month but they are pretty close actually, despite appearing that the Swiss salary is more. The Swiss salary of CHF130k is probably around €70k in Dublin.
1. Calculate the expected working hours, holidays, etc., and work out a net income per hour worked for a year.
2. For every 1 € cost in Dublin, you will spend 2 CHF in Switzerland. From Starbucks to groceries, etc., .
CHF8100/month is really €4050/month when you translate it. So, you need to see if that increase means worth moving, and also what it means for pension, holidays, etc., . Do not underestimate the costs in Switzerland. The salaries are not high at all, it is simply a "user pays" system, with less government middle man.
Blackbird is right, the best part of Zurich is the road to the airport! There are direct flights from Basel to Dublin too.
Basel is an honest working city, with emphasis on engineering rather than banking. It is also a cultural town with many museums and art galleries. With easy bus and tram connections to French and German towns, Basel has an international feel about it.
There are also many trees and green stuff in the streets. It is one of the sunniest cities and rarely has the fog! I would give Basel 9 and Zurich 5 points.
Here in Dublin I could get as much as 75K if I keep working here. That could take time, maybe 1 or 2 years but would be possible.
I wonder how much I could really make in CH. Is 150CH anything real for a Senior Software Engineer in CH? I am not talking about average salaries because I know the avg is not that.
That's pretty low for rent for either city -- and not reflecting the standard of accommodation someone expecting CHF 120k+ would aspire to. I'd budget more like CHF 1,800-2,000/month for Basel (more for Zürich), unless you're thinking of sharing an apartment.
The only other thing I'd mention is to repeat the word FOG. Endless months of it in ZRH, maybe a couple of days per annum in BSL. It makes a real difference.