An Expat Talks about Moving to Zug, Switzerland

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Zug

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

Wish I had brought:

1) Sufficient bedlinen (different sizes in every country I have lived in)

2) Enough English books (too expensive here)

I should have left:

1) All my exotic plants (too cold for too long)

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Traveling Mailbox serves thousands of travelers, expats, digital nomads, businesses, individuals and others in over 47 Countries by scanning their postal mail so they can view it online anywhere in the world. They provide customer service 7 days a week so if you need assistance, it is just a phone call away. Traveling Mailbox works with Evernote, Bill.com and Dropbox. And, there are Traveling Mailbox apps available for iOS and Android devices.
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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

• Contact the International Women's Club (Zug or Zurich) or the PTA/PTO of the various international schools for advice.
• There is little choice only, be prepared for this and not too depressed.
• Make sure you choose a house you will be happy to live in, you will spend a lot of time there!
• The Swiss are friendly but very distanced, however they love to practise their English at all times!
• Outdoors facilities are abundant, make sure you have a car to use them.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

Rental single home, 3 to 4 bedrooms, with a small garden yes this is typical, yet there is a large part of the international community who lives in large houses!

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

• Through a relocation agent (one I wouldn't recommend)
• Newspapers are also a good choice, internet wasn't well developped at the time, this is improving
• We chose a neighboorhood close enough to the school and the work place.
• Taxes didn't influence us at the time but should definitely be considered, Zug is less expensive taxwise, one needs to keep in mind that each community sets their own tax level!

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Definitely higher than in my home country but also dependent on location (rural, city etc) housing costs in Switzerland for a single family home, four bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, small garden vary between 3700 and 5500 SF excluding extras.