Hello All,

I have discovered this very useful forum which has provided me with lots of information so far.

I will be starting to work in Geneva, for an international organization, on a so-called P4 position. I will have a 2+2y contract which will likely become permanent.

My salary will be around 150K CHF net, this means (internal) tax + health insurance + pension fund already deducted. I have been told this corresponds to some 200K CHF gross.

I need to live in Switzerland (Geneva, or Vaud) for tax reasons (there is no tax agreement with France). My wife will look for a job but this is reportedly difficult with her education and professional experience. I have a 10y old daughter who will go to the international school, my employer covers 80% of the school fees.

Is 150K CHF net OK for this region and as a newcomer (no existing rent, not owning real estate)? Does it really correspond to 200K gross?

What about the real estate market. I have some investments which could be used for a 20% deposit in order to buy a flat or a house somewhere in the region, but not sure this is a good idea right now.

Cheers.

yes, you will be like a pig in shit
Average salary in CH is around 75K

Finding accommodation in Geneva that you can afford will make you old and grey

The search button is now working ....

I'm confused. Is the 200 the new 150 the new 120?

not enough money for me to get out of bed...

stay where you are

for everyone else on the forum... move on nothing to see here

You'll be very comfortable on that even without your wife working, especially with so much of the school fees covered. (Unless you expect to dine in michelin star restaurants every night etc)

And yes, it sounds about right to equal 200K (or more, looking at benefits like school fees!).

Buying is up to you - I'd recommend renting for at least a year first though, to be sure you want to stay, and to learn local areas etc - otherwise you might end up buying somewhere you're so keen on after a while.

Also make sure you are staying before you buy, as the initial fees associated with a purchase can be quite high, not something you want to spend if you will want to sell after 2-3 years.

After the mansion in the mountains, and the chauffeur-driven limo ride to work every day, you'll still have some loose change to throw to the local peasants, and be able to feel good about yourself.

Basically ..... have you tried converting this amount to your own currency; deduct a third for additional costs and ask yourself:

- "Would I survive in my world, on this amount?"

This, my friends, is real proof that we have an economical crisis at hand!

People no longer moan: "Is 120k enough?" The price has increased 30k!

Start pilling bean cans and blankets in your bunkers!





On a serious tone, if you search on this forum, you'll notice that, though some people will never have enough of a salary, 150k is more than enough to sustain a whole family in Switzerland in a quite comfortable life-style. You don't need to be a brainiac to do a bit of math and find that out.

No, it has not. The OP talks about 150k NET and including the benefits he describes does that translate to almost twice the normal 120k question.

And twice the stupidity to ask the question as there is NO place on this planet where you could not live comfortably with this salary. Somebody earning that much should be educated enough to be able to estimate that he is easily within the top 5-10%... and if 95% of people earn less it must be somehow possible to survive...

That's it, I was happy this morning and clicked that topic, HO WHY??


Now i'm angry at my miserable salary

Hi rich boy,

for the salary, cf the other postings. For the real estate, see this thread.

Housing bubble about to explode in the Arc Lemanique

but we know you live in a different world so you won't mind losing a couple of 100K CHF's anyway.

Are you EU/EFTA? If not, and I may be mistaken, I don't think you can buy property without a C permit.

All the details and much more here.

enough to live by? yes

enough for you? well, it depends how much you are making right now.
everyone has a different comfort level.

Perhaps it is just another wind-up?
If it is not, it is a particularly insensitive first post int he current circumstances- when many here are struggling on 40.000 gross and less. I know many people who earn that sort of money, and they usually have the decent common sense to be a bit discreet about this.

I never understood these high paid people on the EF. Certainly there must be a reason why you are paid so much yet you cannot seem to figure things out, even with Google?????

Ohg well good for you and enjoy your money

presumably thats monthly?

otherwise we dont want this sort of common folk round here