City Guide
Zurich is Switzerland's biggest city: international, lively and set on a clean lake with the Alps on the horizon. You can spend the day in a modern coworking space and the evening swimming in the lake or the river.
Best for
Remote workers who value quality, nature and easy logistics over cost
Best months
May to September
Cost per day
Roughly €220–€340 including a mid-range hotel
Internet
Excellent, both WiFi and mobile internet
Less suited if you are on a budget. Zurich is one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Switzerland has excellent WiFi and mobile internet. It is not in the EU, so check whether your mobile plan includes Switzerland; many EU plans do not, and roaming can be expensive. A European eSIM that covers Switzerland is an easy solution.
Impact Hub Zürich
Several locations, including Colab near the main station. A day pass costs around CHF 45.
Monthly desks in Swiss coworking spaces range widely, from around CHF 235 to well over CHF 1,000. At Swiss café prices, a coworking day pass can be the more comfortable choice.
Old town (Altstadt)
Central and beautiful, on both sides of the Limmat river.
Kreis 4 and 5
Around Langstrasse and Zurich West: creative, with restaurants and bars.
Oerlikon
A modern area north of the centre, a little cheaper and a few minutes by train from the main station.
Stays I list in Zurich:
A rough week for one person with a mid-range hotel, excluding travel:
Stay
€1,000–€1,600
For a hotel room with a desk
Food
€300–€450
Supermarkets such as Migros and Coop help
Coworking
Around CHF 225
For five day passes
Transport
€50–€70
For city tickets
May–Jun
Green, warm and lively, with long evenings
Jul–Aug
The lake and river baths (Badis) are open and busy
Sep
Still warm, with clear views of the Alps
Oct–Apr
Cool and grey in the city; the mountains are for skiing
Zurich Airport has a train station with frequent trains to Zurich main station in around 10–15 minutes. Trains to Bern take about an hour.
Trams, trains, buses and lake boats are all connected, and the SBB app makes planning easy.
Switzerland is not in the EU but is part of Schengen. EU citizens only need a valid ID card or passport for a visit. If you work remotely for an employer in an EU country, check your social security position with your employer.
Swim in the lake or the Limmat at one of the river and lake baths
Take the train up the Uetliberg for sunset views
Walk through the old town and along the lakeside promenade
Take a boat trip on the lake
Spend a weekend in the mountains, a train ride away
Yes. Everything works, internet is excellent and nature is close. The main drawback is the price.
Zurich for a bigger, more international city and more coworking; Bern for a smaller, calmer and slightly cheaper base.
Zurich is part of my Switzerland guide, next to Bern. Compare it with other cities in my Europe guide.
