Apartments, Rooms & Flatshares in Zurich for Rent
With Zurich constantly being ranked as one of the top destinations in the world for expats, it's no surprise that there is great demand for furnished apartments for rent in Zurich. With a buzzing cultural scene, wonderful amenities and a high quality of life; Zurich apartments are in high demand.
Switzerland isn't the cheapest country in the world, and the costs of long term rental apartments do reflect Zurich's standing – however there is a great variety of furnished apartments for rent on Nestpick if you are thinking about a longer stay. For students with private housing being expensive; it is worth considering looking into renting a room in Zurich in a flat share.
Prices are steadily increasing in Zurich with a one-bedroom apartment near the city center costing roughly around €1,800 per month. Prices do fluctuate dependent on which district you choose to settle in with the rent decreasing the further out from the center you go.
Serviced Apartments Zurich
If you are planning to relocate to Zurich for an extended period of time, you may want to look into serviced apartments as an option. Many apartments in Zurich don't come with all the trappings and furniture as other apartments in equivalent European cities and as such, long term serviced apartment rentals will provide you with all the amenities to make a home away from home. These apartments with the added facilities of cleaning services don't come cheap however with one-bedroom apartments in the city costing around €1,800 per month.
Types of Accommodation in Zurich
Apartments in Zurich by District
Zurich is actually split up into 12 different districts or 'Stadtkreise', each with their own different feel and atmosphere. They are all numbered as well as named which gives an easy sense of navigation when you are figuring out where you want to live. The most popular and sought-after districts are obviously right near the center of Zurich with district 1 and 2 being hotspots. However, the apartments that generally come on the market here are smaller with one or two bedrooms. As such, people looking for a bit more room tend to move out to magnificent Zurich Lake to enjoy a bit more space and scenery.
Apartments Zurich City Centre
As Zurich is becoming an increasingly moved to city, the demand for apartments and certainly large apartments in the city center has increased. As such, if you see any of these become available, the best advice would be to move fast and act promptly to get on the landlord's good side – there is a lot of competition to stay in such a desirable area, but if you are flexible and willing to move quickly there are some special apartments on offer. The trick with Zurich is finding out what district would be best suited to your personal wants and needs. For example, Enge and Seefled are very much 'downtown districts' and while this might be exciting in the working week, this area tends to fall flat on the weekend.
The hippest and more social districts tend to be around the university and Kreis 5 – an area that for years was seen as the rougher side of town but in recent years has undergone gentrification and is now full of loft apartments, bars and restaurants.
Apartments in Zurich Wiedikon
To the South West of the city center lies the Wiedikon area of Zurich, commonly known as Kreise 3. Very much a residential area it has a definite neighborhood feel with many patches of grass and picnic areas, perfect for all seasons. Apartments in Wiedikon are constantly being renovated as well so there is a good mix of young people as well as families in the leafy district. If you appreciate having nature on your doorstep as well as he bustling city center just moments away, renting an apartment in Zurich's Wiedikon may just be perfect for you. Zurich's own 'mountain' Uetliberg is found at the back of this popular district and thus all the hiking trails that come with it.
A third of all the residents in Wiedikon are expats, or at least people who were not born in Switzerland. This gives with area a real cosmopolitan feel to it, with a great diversity of restaurants, bars and culture that just adds to Kreise 3's desirability. It also has the trendy Langstrasse district to the North and some of its neighbor's bohemian feel has rubbed off on Wiedikon with numerous vintage stores to be found in its leafy boulevards.
Apartments in Zurich Aussersihl
Apartments in Aussersihl are in demand primarily because of the cool energy that permeates the whole of Kreise 4. The area is by far the most multicultural and lively of all of Zurich's districts and you will always find something going on in Aussersihl. Years ago, it was the home of Switzerland's largest red-light district, however although the older Swiss generation may still think that the area is unpleasant and unseemly – it is only because they have not seen it recently. Like London's Soho; it has shifted and turned into a hive of trendy bars and glamourous night spots, all extremely popular with young professionals and the students of Zurich's university. There are some places that still have aspects of the past – but it is a safe area of the city and a very fun place to live.
Aussersihl's multicultural aspects and young heartbeat make it a very popular place for expats to move to, especially young professionals – unlike other areas of the city, there is always something going on here and so settling into a new life and making new friends should be very easy here.
Student Accommodation in Zurich
Zurich is a very expensive city, especially when it comes to real estate and for that reason much student housing in Zurich is to be found in shared apartments and houses. Although this might not give you the complete privacy that you may have been seeking, it does give you a fantastic chance to meet people and of course, keep costs down. The universities here do not get directly involved with housing students or administers student housing – however do check on your Universities website, and they may recommend certain agencies.
Of course, renting a room will be cheaper than renting out a whole apartment, but don't forget that this is Zurich after all and a room in a centrally located flat could cost anywhere between €800 - €1000 a month.
Public Transportation in Zurich
Zurich isn't the largest city in the world and you can get a lot done by walking and exploring the city on foot – however, its advanced nature means that its public transportation links are among the best in Europe. There are either bus stops or tram stops every 300 meters or so, indeed having a car in the city is honestly more of a hindrance than a help. The main train station acts as the main hub for all the bus, tram and S-Bahn lines and so navigating around the city isn't that difficult.
As well as purchasing hour or day cards that can be used across the whole public transportation network, you can purchase a Zurich pass that will last 72 hours costing around 50USD however this does give you a range of other benefits such as discounts on many tourist attractions.