Bern: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Bern is Switzerland's federal city: parliament and government sit here, along with federal agencies, embassies and international organisations such as the Universal Postal Union. It is a small city of about 145,000 people, calm and very green: the Aare river runs right through the centre, and in summer people swim in it on the way home from work. Zurich, Basel and Geneva are one to two hours away by train.

Bern suits families, civil servants and staff of international organisations, professionals in pharma, medicine and engineering, and wealthy people who want to live in Switzerland quietly rather than amid Zurich's financial bustle. German is spoken, with a strong Bernese dialect, and French is heard more often than in Zurich.

Districts

• Old Town - arcades, fountains, shops and restaurants; flats in historic buildings are rare and expensive.
• Kirchenfeld - embassies, museums and villas on the south bank of the Aare, the most prestigious district.
• Länggasse - the university district near the station, students and young families.
• Breitenrain and Lorraine - lively neighbourhoods with cafés and markets, popular with young professionals.
• Bümpliz and the western districts - noticeably cheaper than the centre, large housing estates, good tram links.
• Muri and Ostermundigen - suburbs with houses and schools; the municipal tax rate can be lower than in the city.

Cost of living

Bern is cheaper than Zurich and Geneva, but it is still Switzerland. A three-room flat costs on average about 1,985 francs a month in 2026, roughly $2,389, and noticeably more in the inner city. There is little free housing, so dozens of candidates come to viewings, and a deposit of up to three months' rent is taken when signing.

A monthly pass for the two city zones costs 82 francs, about $99. Health insurance is mandatory for every resident and bought individually from private insurers; for a family it is one of the biggest costs alongside housing.

Climate and city rhythm

The climate is mild: around zero in winter, with snow that does not stay long in the city, while the ski resorts of the Bernese Oberland are an hour or ninety minutes away by train. Summers are warm, about 18-19 degrees in July, and in hot weather the whole city heads to the Aare: floating downstream through the centre is the main summer habit of Bern residents. The Saturday market on the Federal Square and the Christmas markets in the Old Town are an important part of local life.

Taxes

A Bern resident pays income tax to the federation, the canton and the municipality on a single return. The canton of Bern is one of the most expensive for taxes: the top rate including the federal part is 40.85%, and corporate tax is 20.54%. In Zug, by comparison, the top rate is about 22%, but rents there are among the highest in the country, so it is worth counting the annual total: taxes, housing and insurance together. The canton has kept lump-sum taxation for wealthy foreigners who do not work in Switzerland: tax is based on living expenses, with a base from 435,000 francs a year. More on the page about taxes in Switzerland.

Practicalities

• Registration. You must register with the municipality within 14 days of arrival and take out health insurance within three months.
• Transport. Trams and buses run to the minute, and Bern station is one of the country's main hubs. The nearest major airports are Zurich and Geneva, about one and two hours by train.
• Schools. State schools are free and teach in German; there is an international school teaching in English.
• Pace. Shops close early, almost everything is shut on Sundays, and quiet and order in residential buildings are strictly observed.
• Work. The largest employers are the federal administration, the Inselspital university hospital, Swiss Post and the Swiss railways, which have their headquarters here, plus pharmaceutical and medical technology companies. Without German it is hard to find work outside international organisations.

Moving and legal status

Citizens of the European Union and the European Free Trade Association get a residence permit if they have a job or sufficient means. For everyone else Switzerland is one of the most closed countries: work permits are issued under quotas to highly qualified specialists when the employer could not find a candidate in Switzerland or the European Union. Wealthy people who do not work in the country can move through lump-sum taxation, which takes 3-6 months. Citizenship comes after 10 years of residence and a permanent permit, with German at B1 spoken and A2 written. More on the pages about Swiss residence and Swiss citizenship.

Buying property and insurance

Federal law restricts property purchases by foreigners in Switzerland. Citizens from outside the European Union living in Switzerland with a residence permit can buy a home to live in themselves. For those living abroad, buying a flat in Bern is almost impossible: quotas for holiday homes exist only in tourist regions. Holders of a permanent permit buy without restrictions.

Basic health insurance is mandatory; its cover is the same with every insurer, but prices differ. The minimum annual deductible for an adult is 300 francs: the higher the deductible, the lower the monthly premium. Children are insured separately at lower premiums.

Is Bern worth considering for life

Pros: safety, cleanliness, nature in the centre, excellent transport, strong schools and healthcare, a calm pace. Cons: high cantonal taxes, expensive living, difficult legal status for citizens from outside the European Union and German with a dialect. Bern is a good choice for a family with a job in Switzerland or the capital for lump-sum taxation, but a poor one for someone seeking low taxes: Zug and Schwyz are for that. Write in the chat and we will choose a canton and a basis for the move.