Expat who has lived in Switzerland for 9 years shares why it ‘has a lot of demand’ – ‘it is very nice’

Known for its stunning landscape and excellent quality of life, Switzerland is a popular destination amongst expats across Europe and the UK.

An expat who moved to Switzerland nine years ago shared the positives of life in the European country, as well as the challenges he has faced.

James Moya has lived in Zurich since 2016 and explained on YouTube (@SanderRecommends) how he was “surprised by how many people enjoy spending a lot of time outside on the mountains or by the lakeside”, despite the city being known for its work-driven atmosphere.

He said: “I like Zurich, I like the lakeside. It is very nice to have a city where the water is so clean, and you can actually swim in the river as well.”

Alongside the views and picturesque landscape, the expat was taken aback by how “noticeable” the seasons are.

James explained: “It is a really nice thing. Summer is very different from winter, and it is nice to have this contrast.”

The people in Zurich “take a little bit of time to open up”, but they are “very nice” once they do.

The expat shared: “Once they are open, they are great to talk with. You can also rely on and trust them a lot.”

A challenge he encountered, like several other expats who moved abroad, was the language barrier, which was “very hard”.

James stated: ” I have been in contact with other languages since I was young, but they are substantially different. It was tough.”

The expat encouraged people to learn some of the dialect and do their research before relocating to Zurich, as it is a highly competitive place to live.

He noted: “There is a lot of demand in the city. Many expats are coming here, and a high percentage of foreigners are in Switzerland.

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“In general, the population is also growing. So, a lot of it is concentrated in Zurich because of the job opportunities, which makes the housing market a little more complicated.

“If you took an old contract to rent, it is about 2000 Swiss Francs (£1842) for a two-bedroom apartment, but a new one is about 3000 Swiss Francs (£2763) a month.”

In other expat news, a British expat took to TikTok to share the “negative” aspects of life in a Spanish coastal town.

Geo in Spain (@geoinspain) warned that while she does love her home in Malaga, its popularity with tourists can prove irritating – particularly during the summer. The expat admitted: “There are some things I don’t like.”