Just Move to Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland — your playbook for visa, housing, community, and building from here.
Showing tips specific to Zurich alongside general European resources.
Every link is here because someone building from Zurich would actually use it. Some resources show up on more than one city page because they carry across contexts. Nothing is here just to look complete.
Tags
| (no tag) | Only this city. |
| EU | EU-wide rules, eligibility, or programs. |
| Multi-city | Applies in several cities. |
| All cities | Works everywhere. |
Some links are affiliate links. They support JMTE at no extra cost to you and don't change what gets included.
Crypto, fintech, robotics, and biotech — expensive but world-class.
Cost
€€€€
Avg Rent
CHF 1,200–1,850/mo (~€1,200–€1,850)
Visa
Hard
Ecosystem
Medium (high-signal)
Prices are approximate and vary by neighborhood and season. Rent assumes a room in a shared flat or coliving and may exclude utilities. Snapshot as of 2 May 2026.
If you do nothing else
Sort your visa
Swiss work permits are restrictive for non-EU; EU/EFTA have easier access
Find your first home
Budget CHF 1,200–1,850/mo (~€1,200–€1,850) for a room or coliving.
Register your address & open a bank account
Required in most EU countries within 2 weeks of arrival.
Plug into the community
Luma, Meetup, or local Slack/Telegram — just show up.
Start building
Ship something in your first week. Momentum attracts the right people.
Your First 30 Days in Zurich
Week-by-week playbook with CHF tips, local registration, and banking.
Read guide →Visa & Immigration
Hit the official overview first, then dig into the common paths below.
Switzerland is in Europe but not the EU — Swiss visa rules apply.
Start here
Official overview or main portal for visas and residence.
Join a company
Work visas and EU Blue Card for employed roles.
Start a company
Visas for founders and self-employed.
Freelance / self-employed
Residence permits for freelancers and self-employed.
Hire across borders (EOR platforms)
If an employer doesn't have an entity in your country, these platforms can hire you compliantly on their behalf. Useful to suggest to companies as an operational path.
Housing, Coliving & Workspaces
Zurich is one of Europe's most expensive cities. Most founders start with a room in a shared flat or temporary furnished housing. Budget CHF 1,200–1,850/mo for a room.
Company Setup & Legal
Swiss AG or GmbH — Canton Zurich and Zug (Crypto Valley) are popular. Venturelab and Innosuisse support formation. Swiss structure differs from EU — Ledgy handles Swiss cap tables.
Startup Perks
Free credits and discounts from cloud providers, AI platforms, dev tools, and more. Perks apply regardless of where you're based. Start with the directories below.
Communities
Zurich's tech community is smaller but high-caliber. ETH events, crypto meetups in Zug, and Swiss Startup Day bring the ecosystem together.
Events & Meetups
Regular meetups, AI events, and local tech gatherings.
Hackathons
Zurich's hackathon scene is anchored by ETH Zurich and the crypto/fintech community. START Hack in St. Gallen is the flagship regional event.
Conferences
Europe's flagship tech conferences: great for fundraising, recruiting, and visibility. Most are worth traveling to from any city — so we list them Europe-wide.
Vibe Coding
GuideStart with Vibe Coding
AI tools to go from idea to product in hours. No engineering team required.
Read guide →Accelerators & Programs
Zurich's accelerator scene is research-driven, anchored by ETH Zurich and the broader Swiss innovation ecosystem. Venturelab and Kickstart are the main programs.
Jobs & Talent
Zurich offers Europe's highest tech salaries. The market is driven by finance, crypto, and ETH spin-offs. Competition for talent is fierce.
Fundraising & First Checks
Zurich's fundraising scene is finance-heavy. Crypto Valley (nearby Zug) attracts web3 capital. Innosuisse offers government grants for Swiss-based R&D.
Find investors & market data
Databases and directories to discover angels and VCs, plus funding data and ecosystem reports.
Pitch resources & guides
Templates, playbooks, and real pitch deck examples.
Tax incentives for investors
Programs that make angel investing more attractive to backers.
Grants & Non-Dilutive Funding
Government grants, EU programs, and non-dilutive funding sources across Europe.
EU grants apply to EU cities only. Zurich has Innosuisse and other Swiss programs.
Transit & Travel
ZVV runs one of the world's most punctual transit systems. Trams, buses, and trains run like clockwork. The city is also very walkable.
Food & Delivery
Zurich's food scene is international and high-quality, reflecting the city's wealth and diversity. Swiss classics like fondue and raclette are winter staples.
Cafes & Coworking
Zurich has a growing specialty coffee scene. Districts 4 and 5 have the best laptop-friendly spots, alongside co-working spaces.
Culture & Lifestyle
Kunsthaus, opera, and stunning lakeside living. Zurich balances Swiss efficiency with genuine cultural depth. The proximity to mountains means skiing in winter and hiking in summer.
News & Reports
Stay current on European tech, funding rounds, ecosystem shifts, and annual reports.
Podcasts & Video
Founder interviews, VC insights, and European tech stories in audio and video.
People to Follow
Founders, VCs, and ecosystem builders shaping European tech.
Go deeper
In-depth guides for Zurich and Europe-wide topics.
For Zurich
Housing, fundraising, cofounders — local playbooks for your city.
Your First 30 Days in Zurich
Week-by-week playbook: housing, registration, banking, and networking.
Housing in Zurich
Coliving, flat shares, budgets, and the move-in playbook.
Raising Your First Check in Zurich
How European VCs work, local norms, and where to start.
Finding a Cofounder in Zurich
Where ambitious people meet, hackathons, and the local cofounder scene.
Europe-wide
Same content in any city — no local setup required.