Switzerland for Software Engineers - part 2
Framework to help you decide if it's the right location for you
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Some time ago, I published a first article on Switzerland for Software Engineers.
You guys liked it, and more recently I published a YouTube video touching on similar topics, but going a bit more in-depth in some areas. You find it here:
For the ones who want a textual, summarised version of it, read on :)
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Private guides - like this one - to help you land these jobs.
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Switzerland for Software Engineers…
Let’s get into it!
Salaries
Switzerland is the only European country where Software Engineer salaries match American levels.
Non–Big Tech and local companies:
Entry-level: $80-120k
Mid-level: $110-120k
Senior: $130k+
Big Tech:
Entry-level: $150k+
Mid-level: $180-250k
Senior: $250k+ (some leadership roles reach $300-500k+)
Despite being extremely competitive for landing Big Tech roles, Switzerland remains a top salary destination for Software Engineers in Europe.
Taxes
Switzerland has very convenient taxes for employees, especially "low-income" ones.
Here's how it works:
Total tax rates generally fall between 20–45% of your income
Some of it goes into pension funds, which can be cashed out in some circumstances
Some goes into various insurances (unemployment, accident, disability, etc)
At $90-150k levels of income, you're taxed at 20-25%.
Above $200k, taxes start rising, reaching 30%.
Above $350k, they reach 40-45%.
Health insurance is semi-private:
You choose and pay a monthly premium ($300-500 per month)
You get high-quality healthcare at minimal extra cost
For those earning below $200k, Switzerland’s tax structure is quite favorable.
If you exceed $300–400k, your overall rate can climb significantly: still competitive, but worse than some other countries.
Note that there's things you can do to reduce your taxes:
Reside in more tax efficient municipalities (Zug, Schwyz)
Reduce your taxable income by investing in voluntary pension funds
I think tax-wise, Switzerland is quite good.
Even as an entrepreneur, your taxes can be very low (below 15%).
Also, the public services you get - infrastructures, nature, government and administration - are all high quality.
Cost of Living
Zurich consistently ranks as one of the most expensive cities in the world.
High salaries come with high expenses:
Rent: $1,600–2,000+ for a studio/one-bedroom apartment.
Dining Out: Even a simple meal can cost $20–50. Fancier options go much higher.
Overall Monthly Spend: 4k/month if you're single and frugal, easy to go over $6-8k.
Childcare: Kindergarten can cost ~3k/month per child.
This can still be a good deal if you’re in a higher compensation bracket, i.e. you work in Big Tech.
Outside of that, you might save less than you’d expect - especially if you're not frugal.
Final Verdict
After living in Zurich🇨🇭 for 4+ years, here’s my perspective:
Pros:
Biggest salaries in Europe (up to $500k+ in top roles)
Stable government, pristine nature, and a safe environment
Great infrastructure, well-funded public services, and top-tier R&D (Google Research, OpenAI, etc.)
Cons:
Extremely high living costs - especially dining out, housing and childcare
Outside of Big Tech, your net savings and/or purchasing power won't be impressive
Social or nightlife scenes is limited compared to major global cities
Verdict:
Still an amazing option for some devs: especially those in research, deep tech and AI - especially if you prefer nature over bustling big cities.
But for many, “geoarbitrage” (high pay + cheaper location) may offer more savings, better purchasing power and more freedom in choosing a place with a lifestyle you like.
[check my articles on remote careers, Central Europe, relocation stories, working for US companies from Europe, and low-cost low-tax countries to learn more about this topic]
After all these posts, what is YOUR final opinion on Switzerland? 🙂
Think it’s still worth it in 2025 and beyond? Let me know!
This article is brought to you by:
Euro Top Tech Jobs - The #1 resource for landing Top-Paying Tech roles in Europe:
4000+ top paying tech jobs in Europe from big tech companies, HFT firms and high-paying scale-ups.
Hundreds of jobs from 90+ fully-remote companies paying $100-600k per year.
Private guides - like this one - to help you land these jobs.
Six Figure Euro Engineer - Maximise your chances to boost your Tech Career in Europe, reducing time to success:
Work 1:1 with Nicola Amadio (author of this newsletter), and join the other engineers who were able to 10x their tech career in the past few months!
