Hi Friends,

I've got a job in Neuchâtel and I'm currently residing in Zurich, just would like to know about this city, the life style and expenditure in comparison with Zurich. Your inputs are greatly appreciated

Hi there,

Your expenditure will be less for pretty much everything, the nightlife will be more boring (although if you're not a massive party animal that's fine). Neuch is an excellent communication hub - I frequently nip off to other places at the weekend as it's so convenient.

Do you have any more specific questions? The OP was a bit vague.

A great place if you are into water sports, eating icecream on the lakeside promenade, walking in the hills. This weekends excitement includes a little circus and an international baton twirling competition.

The major difference in terms of expenditure is that you will pay a LOT less for an apartment than in Zurich (you can get a nice 3.5 room in Neuch for less than 1500 CHF a month). You will pay more tax and more for health insurance though.

In terms of lifestyle, the others have already summed it up well. It's not a lively place, the pace of things is very relaxed. There is not much in the way of nightlife (young people go to Lausanne for clubbing), but there is a top-class theatre and six or seven cinema screens (though very few films in English). Excellent for outdoor activities, although if you are not into cross-country skiing or snowshoeing you may find the winter long.

Neuchâtel has a reputation for fog between November and February - worse than Zurich but not as bad as Zug, from what I have seen.

Oh yes the world baton twirling championships no less. If you like attractive girls in short skirts then Neuchatel is definitely the place to be this weekend. My 12 year son just proved that he is well integrated into Swiss life by giving the Norwegian girls team the kind of stare the Swiss are so good at as they walked by. OH's tongue was hanging out too and he suddenly remembered we needed something from the shop they went into.

For the rest Stephen has pretty much summed it ui. Higher taxes, lower cost of living and a great place if you like the outdoor lifestyle.
Not much nightlife though.

We really like it here.

All, Thanks a lot for your replies... sorry my OP was not detailed enough.... I'm a kind of person who likes travelling, not into sports, likes watching english movies....and a bit of night life as well...

any idea if the work permit conditions are as restricted like Zurich canton? though I have already got my offer still my permit is in the process...your inputs are greatly appreciated.

What about surviving with English? Is that feasible at all? In Zurich almost every one speaks English, but I heard it isn't the case in that part of Switzerland...

Who is everybody. The plumber, the baker, the candle-stick maker? Most of them won't speak English. But most business/bankers, etc will. Most Doctors and dentists won't, although they would have learnt at school.

I'd say you'd be fine for survival and work- but in the long-term you'd get much much more our of living in Neuch if you take the trouble to learn some French for basic communication.

If you have any good experience in watch-making, there are 1000s of jobs here, some with training given.

Although there are fewer English speakers in Neuchatel than Zurich there are still plenty of people here who do speak English and will usually revert to English if you make an effort in French first and they can see that you're struggling.
Not all doctors or dentists speak English but there are a huge number who do. We received a long list of English speaking doctors, dentists, insurance agents etc when we moved here.

Having said that as Odile said your life will be much easier if you learn some French.

Has Neuch changed? It used to be a real party place when I lived there, I always thought four very busy and pretty good nightclubs in a town that size plus the Cerf was pretty good going.