Hi guys, call it last minute nerves but Im fretting now!!

When I was offered my job a few months back the salary sounded very healthy. However, since searching through this forum, it looks like its below average. Will I be able to survive and actually enjoy myself, I love going out, eating and drinking and socialising, plus I would love to spend many weekends skiing in the winter.

My salary is chf78k plus a 5k bonus. The employer will pay me 9k removal costs next month on my first salary. They will also pay for health insurance and probably a phone, plus theres a great canteen at work.

My net salary will be 4.6k per month x 13, to cover rent, food, living etc.

Honest advice please, will I be able to enjoy a decent life? I am aiming for a apartment outside of Zurich, perhaps Olten or Aarburg.

Many thanks

having your health insurance paid is a BIG bonus and can add at least 5k a year to your salary

I would say you can survive on that much quite easily. Have you got accommodation yet? That sounds like it will be the biggest chunk of your salary.

Having your health insurance paid is probably worth another CHF300 per month, too, and canteens are usually subsidised so you won't be paying restaurant prices for your lunch.

You wont win bragging rights with the salary but it's not bad. The killer part of your deal is the health insurance since here in Switzerland for a family of 4 that can nearly equal the cost of rent on its own..!

Are you moving here with your partner and son?
It sounds like a tight budget if you like eating out, drinking and skiing. An average dinner for two with only one glass of wine each comes up to about CHF90.

If you all don't mind living in a less fancy, smallish apartment, then it's doable.

Thanks for all your replies. I have seen a few apartments for 800 ish a month, fairly small but it's just me. My son will be staying in UK unfortunately as I split with his mum a couple of years back. My employer tells me I should get a top up on my salary if I have a child, is that right?

I will be living from next week for 3 months in a hotel (company pays) so that I can find a decent flat.

I began by thinking great, I can get my Mitsubishi I have always wanted, nice apartment, now Im down to thinking of growing my own veg, hehe.

If you're happy with the commute, living outside Zürich is a great solution. I've just glanced over the Homegate listings for Olten, for example, and it looks like they're about 20% cheaper than their counterparts in Zürich. The difference will just about pay for your GA, which means free travel anywhere in Switzerland.

As for going out, eating, drinking and skiing, you'll be able to do all of those regularly, but perhaps not with wild abandon. Depends how much you drink and how expensive your tastes are, really.

Thanks. I will actually be working close to Olten so will only be going to Zurich for entertainment I guess. That railcard looks great, I have friends in Geneva, plus my family lives in Brittany, France, so I guess I would save some cash there.

Oh, if it's just you, you'll be fine. Don't know about the child top-up part of your salary but it sounds promising as I'm sure you need to help support your son.

The top up is known as "Kinderzulage" and is paid by the state (a bit like child allowance in the UK) but I am not sure if this is payable if your son is living in the UK.

A former British work colleague of mine who had a son living in London didn't qualify for it because he was receiving UK child allowance (the form asks you to state any existing benefits already being received by the child).

Ah I see, yes I have maintenance to pay, plus I will be going back every 3 weeks to see him. I dont receive any benefits from UK govt so I will enquire once Im in CH. I guess I will just have to be careful to start and learn the ropes.

I would say that is livable, especially with an apartment outside of the city center.

As others have said, paid health insurance is great and worth around CHF 300 on a monthly basis for half private. It is worth checking that the company are paying your full health insurance and not just acceident insurance (the norm).

You're talking about the salaries in your industry but I thought that a reminder about the average Swiss household income couldn't hurt: It's 6500 Fr./month.

UK child allowance is usually claimed by the mum (and most mums take it up whether or not they are on regular state benefits - it's available to all, employed or not) so it would be worth checking with her first.

I agree with Matnut. You can survive on 40k, (many Phd students get that, and they manage a few weekend ski trips too). As for the rest, the sky is the limit.

Not an expert, but I see no reason why care allowance can be denied in your case...comes to around 300 chf pm.

Hi, is that net or gross?

If it's gross then its pretty much the same as mine, if it's net, then I guess I need to fly up the ladder pretty quick

Sorry, that was for NATHU, should have quoted, my bad.

Blimey! In which canton do you get Kinderzulage? I'm upping sticks and moving there!

Zurich just about nudges CHF200.

Ok, I just looked up my payslip. It says "Kinderzul. uberobl. Leist" 359.15 (the u has two dots on top, English keyboard). My son is yet to join here...Actually ETH was paying some separate allowance, but for jan 2009 onwards we were asked to fill up some forms, and come under the new Swiss regulation which brings all cantons at par. I live in Zurich btw.

Are we talking of the same thing? May be you could check if you are getting a fair deal

Could mean that you get more than usual (überobligatorisch = over the minimum/regular child support), but I have no clue about this otherwise..