How to Rent an Apartment in Zurich: A Guide for Expats
Yes, expats can rent apartments in Zurich. But the Swiss rental market works differently from many other countries, and finding apartments is usually not the hardest part. Getting selected is.
The basic process is:
Define your budget and requirements
Understand which areas and apartments are realistic for you
Search for suitable apartments
Attend viewings
Submit your application
Wait for the landlord or property manager to select a tenant
Review and sign the rental contract
Complete the handover and registration
If you are moving from abroad, don't have Swiss rental history yet, are still waiting for your permit, or have a less standard employment situation, the process can be more complicated.
Here's what you should know before you start.
1. How difficult is it to rent an apartment in Zurich?
Zurich has a competitive rental market, particularly for apartments that are well located, reasonably priced, and in good condition.
The good news is that there are plenty of apartments on the market.
The difficult part is getting the apartment you want.
You may find a suitable apartment online, attend the viewing, submit your application, and still not be selected. This is completely normal in a competitive market.
The question is therefore not only:
"How do I find an apartment in Zurich?"
It is:
"Which apartments are realistic for my profile, and how do I give myself the best chance of being selected?"
This distinction is particularly important for expats.
SwissNest Tip
Don't measure your chances by the number of apartments you find online. A successful apartment search is about finding the right apartments for your situation, not simply applying to as many as possible.
2. How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Zurich?
Your budget is one of the first things you should establish.
Zurich rents vary significantly depending on the location, size, condition, building, and apartment type. A two-bedroom apartment in one area can have a very different price from a similar apartment somewhere else.
You also need to look beyond the advertised rent.
Depending on the apartment, you may have additional costs such as:
general utilities
electricity
internet
parking
rental deposit
moving costs
furniture, if the apartment is unfurnished
Your budget will also determine your search strategy.
If you want a central location, a large apartment, modern construction, and a low rent, you may be competing for some of the most difficult apartments to secure.
Sometimes changing just one of these factors can give you significantly more options.
SwissNest Tip
Before you start looking, decide which of your requirements are must-haves and which are preferences.
This makes it much easier to recognise a good opportunity when it appears.
3. Where should you live in Zurich?
The best place to live in Zurich depends on your individual situation.
Your workplace, commute, family, budget, lifestyle, and apartment requirements should all influence your search area.
For example, someone working in central Zurich may prioritise a short commute. Someone working at Zurich Airport may want to live somewhere with a direct connection to the airport. A family may prioritise schools, childcare, space, and a quieter environment.
And you don't necessarily have to live within Zurich city itself.
Nearby municipalities can offer different apartment options while still providing good connections to the city.
SwissNest Tip
Don't start with:
"What is the best neighbourhood in Zurich?"
Start with:
"Where can I live that gives me the right combination of commute, budget, apartment, and lifestyle?"
That usually leads to a much more realistic search.
4. Where do expats find apartments in Zurich?
Most people start their search online, which makes sense.
Rental platforms allow you to see what is available, compare prices, and get a feel for the market.
But there is an important catch.
The apartments you see online are not necessarily the apartments you should apply for.
Some may be too competitive for your profile. Others may not work with your budget, commute, household, or timing.
And some apartments can look perfect online but be much less attractive once you see the property and the surrounding area in person.
This is why knowing the market is important.
5. What documents do you need to rent an apartment in Zurich?
The exact documents depend on the apartment, property manager, and your personal situation.
Swiss applicants will often have documents such as employment information, salary statements, identification, and a Betreibungsregisterauszug.
Expats may have a very different situation.
You may be:
moving to Switzerland for a new job
starting your first Swiss employment
waiting for your residence permit
self-employed
earning income from abroad
renting in Switzerland for the first time
You may therefore not have every document a Swiss applicant would normally provide.
That does not automatically mean you cannot rent an apartment.
But it does mean you should understand your situation before you start applying.
SwissNest Tip
If you are missing some of the usual Swiss documents, don't simply upload whatever you have and hope for the best.
First understand how your individual situation should be presented.
This is one of the areas where we regularly help international clients.
6. Can you rent an apartment in Zurich without Swiss rental history?
Yes.
Having no Swiss rental history does not automatically prevent you from renting an apartment in Zurich.
This is particularly common for people moving to Switzerland from abroad.
The important question is what you can provide instead and how your overall situation looks.
Someone arriving with a signed Swiss employment contract, for example, has a different profile from someone who is still looking for work.
There is no single answer that applies to every expat.
And if you have already applied several times without success, simply submitting more applications may not solve the problem.
You may need to look at your budget, target properties, timing, or application strategy.
7. Can you rent an apartment in Zurich before moving to Switzerland?
Yes, it can be possible.
But searching from abroad has some obvious disadvantages.
You may not yet have:
a Swiss address
Swiss salary statements
Swiss rental history
a Swiss residence permit
a Betreibungsregisterauszug
You may also be unable to attend viewings yourself.
This is where having someone local can be particularly useful.
A relocation specialist can attend suitable viewings on your behalf, assess the apartment and surroundings, and give you the information you need to decide whether it is worth applying.
SwissNest Tip
If you are moving from abroad, don't wait until you arrive in Zurich to think about housing.
Start by understanding what is realistic for your profile and timeline.
That can save you a lot of wasted time once you arrive.
8. How quickly do you need to act?
When a suitable apartment appears, you may need to act quickly.
That doesn't mean applying for every apartment you see.
It means being prepared before the right apartment appears.
If you still need to collect documents, understand your budget, arrange a viewing, and figure out your application every time you see a listing, you can easily lose valuable time.
This is one reason why preparation matters so much.
You want to reach the point where you can look at an apartment and quickly answer:
Is this realistic for me?
Do I want it?
Can I apply now?
9. What happens after you apply?
After you submit your application, the property manager or landlord reviews the applicants and decides who should receive the apartment.
This can take some time.
And unfortunately, there is no guarantee that a good application will be selected.
You can have a good salary, stable employment, and a strong application and still lose an apartment to another applicant.
That's why a rejection does not necessarily mean that something was "wrong" with your application.
Sometimes another applicant simply had a profile that the property manager preferred for that particular apartment.
If you are repeatedly being rejected, however, it is worth looking at the pattern.
SwissNest Tip
One rejection is normal.
Repeated rejection is information.
If you keep applying and never get selected, don't automatically increase the number of applications. First ask whether something about your strategy should change.
10. What if you need a furnished apartment?
If you are coming to Zurich for six months, one year, or another temporary period, a furnished apartment can be worth considering.
Yes, the monthly rent may be higher.
But compare the total cost, not just the monthly rent.
With an unfurnished apartment, you may need to buy furniture, household equipment, organise deliveries, set up services, and eventually move everything again.
A furnished apartment can give you a ready-to-live-in home and, importantly, more flexibility.
It can also be a very useful solution if you need somewhere to live while searching for a permanent apartment.
And one common misconception is worth mentioning:
Furnished does not automatically mean that you cannot register your residence.
Whether registration is possible depends on the specific accommodation and contract.
SwissNest Tip
If you are coming to Zurich for a limited period, or you are not sure yet where you want to settle, don't automatically dismiss furnished accommodation because of the higher monthly rent.
Sometimes the flexibility is worth more than the difference in rent.
11. What happens when you are selected?
Getting selected is the moment everyone is waiting for.
But there are still a few important steps.
You will normally receive a rental contract or contract proposal. You should understand the terms before signing, particularly if the contract is in German.
Depending on the arrangement, you will also need to organise the rental deposit and prepare for the handover.
The handover is when the condition of the apartment is documented and you receive the keys.
This is not the time to rush.
SwissNest Tip
Getting the apartment is exciting, but don't let that excitement make you skip the final steps.
Take the time to understand the contract and make sure the condition of the apartment is properly documented at handover.
12. Do you need to register after moving in?
If you are moving to Zurich, registration is an important part of the relocation process.
The City of Zurich currently requires newcomers to register within 14 days of moving in.
Exactly which documents you need depends on your situation.
This is another reason why your housing arrangement matters. A place where you can stay temporarily is not necessarily the same as a residential rental arrangement that works for your registration.
13. Should you search for an apartment yourself?
You absolutely can.
If you have time, can attend viewings, understand the Swiss rental process, have a straightforward profile, and are comfortable handling the applications yourself, you may not need a relocation company.
Professional support becomes more interesting when:
you are relocating from abroad
you work full-time and cannot attend viewings
you have already been rejected several times
you don't have the usual Swiss documents
your employment or income situation is unusual
you have very specific requirements
you simply don't have the time to manage the search yourself
The value of a relocation specialist is not that you cannot search Google or a rental portal.
It is having someone who knows which apartments are realistic, what to look for, how to assess a property locally, and how to navigate the Swiss rental process from the inside.
Our recommendation for expats moving to Zurich
If you are moving to Zurich from abroad, we recommend understanding your situation before you start applying.
Know your realistic budget.
Know which areas make sense for your commute.
Know what type of apartment you should target.
Understand which parts of your profile may need more explanation.
And have a plan for what you will do if the permanent apartment search takes longer than expected.
You can absolutely search yourself.
But if you are spending weeks applying without getting selected, or if you are moving from abroad and don't know how your situation will be assessed, it is worth getting professional advice before you spend even more time on the wrong strategy.
How SwissNest can help
At SwissNest Relocation, we help professionals, executives, and families navigate the Zurich rental market.
Depending on your needs, we can help with:
strategic apartment search
identifying realistic apartments
apartment viewings
rental applications
communication with property managers
rental contract review and translation
apartment handover
relocation planning and settling in
We have more than 15 years of local real estate experience and know the Zurich rental market from both the tenant and landlord side.
Not sure where to start?
Discuss your situation with us in a free 20-minute consultation.
Tell us where you are moving from, your budget, your timeline, and what you are looking for. We will tell you honestly what we think is realistic and how we would approach your search.
Book your free 20-minute consultation with SwissNest Relocation
