Hello

I am new to Switzerland and I just wondered how much is reasonable for me to be paying for rent?
I was told no more than 1/3 of salary but is that before or after tax?
I am only one person but really don't want a studio! I work near Kusnacht and pay a fortune to live in Zurich at the moment. I earn nearly 6000 chf per month before tax
Really would appreciate your help!

Moz

Zurich can be quite expensive if you live in the center. I also found it a lot harder to get a good place in the city itself, since the 2 appartments I went to check out had like 20-30 people interested. Instead of fighting the horde, I chickened out and rented a beautiful place in Wadenswil wich is still close to the city, but taxes and rent is lower. The rent for said 3 bedroom appartment is 1800 CHF.

You didn't tell how much you pay for your appartment, but for a 6k gross salary, I think you get ~4800 CHF netto. When I came to switzerland I was on this kind of salary and paid 1250 CHF for an appartment in rural Schwyz and it was just about OK. I wouldn't want to pay a bigger percentage of my salary on a relatively temporary thing.

Do what many people do, and look at homegate.ch or other housing websites. There is enough samples and information there, if you are familiar with the terrain, to establish the going-rate for a particular area.

Third of gross salary is normal maximum.

dave

I had read somewhere that 25CHF per metre square is generally the max for an unfurnished place in Zurich.

I've always been told that spending 25-30% of your NET income on rent incl Nebenkosten is acceptable, and I think that's fair. I certainly wouldn't want to pay more, because I think housing in and around Zuerich is overpriced anyway and prefer to spend my money on other things.

But even in Zuerich you can get a decent 2-room appt for 1400 CHF/month, not in the city centre but in the outskirts.

for what?

due to the fact that Kusnacht is low tax, rents are higher. As Dave suggested, have a look at homegate and see what you can get for 1500-2000 - remember public transport is good in Zurich so look at www.rail.ch and www.vbz.ch to plan how long a commute might be.

From my research, for an average 25m2 studio in Zurich, you are looking at paying 1300+ per month. That's 52 CHF.

The cheapest I came across was 1000 but the apartment was crap and in a bad area.

I prefer to keep my expense for rent at the minimum - and it is a personal choice. It might sound quite odd - but when I think about how much time I really spend at home - I really don't see the sense of splurging money on a place that is empty most of the time.

I think the place should suit your needs primarily - how much it should cost is actually up to you!