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COST OF LIVING

How much do freelancers earn in Switzerland?

Freelancing in Switzerland or thinking about it? Here’s how much you’d be likely to earn.

Should you become a freelancer in Switzerland?
Photo by Ewan Robertson on Unsplash

Switzerland is famously expensive, but wages are high by international comparison. 

From doctors to teachers, workers in Switzerland can expect a much higher wage than most countries. 

READ MORE: What do teachers earn in Switzerland – and where do they earn the most?

But does the same apply to freelancers? 

Why would someone work freelance in Switzerland? 

The benefits of being a freelancer in Switzerland are the same as anywhere else – as are the disadvantages. 

You can set your own hours and pursue tasks you really want to pursue – rather than those foisted upon you by your boss. 

There are also greater risks however, as freelancers have less of a safety net than employees. 

Do you want to stop walking through this door? Then you could go freelance. Photo by Olivier Collet on Unsplash

Freelancing may entail greater risk than working as an employee, but there is also the possibility of greater reward. 

Unlike in some other countries, freelancers are not treated differently for tax purposes – meaning that anyone seriously considering going freelance would not have to worry about extra administrative headaches and a glut of paperwork. 

How common is freelancing in Switzerland? 

According to consultancy firm Deloitte, approximately 25 percent of people in Switzerland work as a freelancer. 

This figure includes all forms of self-employment, from freelance journalists to buskers and one-man burrito stand owners. 

How much do freelancers earn in Switzerland? 

Of course, how much you earn depends on the industry you are in, your experience and a raft of other factors. 

However, the average salary of self-employed people in Switzerland is CHF80,000 (before tax), according to Swiss jobs site Job Cloud

Salaries range between 49,000 francs per year (considered ‘low income’) and a high of 170,833 francs per year (high income). 

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about minimum wage in Switzerland

Which freelance jobs have the highest average salary? 

Freelancers in the legal or business advice area earn the highest, with an average of around 250,000 francs, followed by consultants (150,000 francs), luxury goods (147,500 francs) and public administration (122,756 francs). 

Transport, catering and the service sector all rank among the lowest, with salaries in the CHF50-55,000 range. 

Who earns more: employees or freelancers in Switzerland? 

Much like the above question, it will depend on so many different factors that it is almost impossible to tell. 

Job Cloud do not provide an average wage across all of Switzerland for employees. Instead, this is broken down on the basis of industry type. 

According to Swiss recruitment agency Mundialz, the average wage for employees in Switzerland is 78,000 before tax, which is roughly the same figure as that of a freelancer. 

While it does of course depend on your industry, the similarity in wage may serve as an incentive – or a disincentive – for anyone considering making the switch to become a freelancer in Switzerland. 

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COST OF LIVING

The Swiss websites that can help you save money

You may think that ‘lower prices’ and ‘Switzerland’ should never be mentioned in the same sentence. But online resources can actually help you save on some purchases.

The Swiss websites that can help you save money

True, getting ‘cheap’ stuff in one of the world’s most expensive countries is not a given. But it is not impossible either.

Depending on what you are looking to purchase, certain sites will either compare prices of goods available at various retailers, or show you where best deals are at the moment.

Let’s start with the most ‘essential’ purchase of all: food

There are no sites as such to tell you the current prices at all Swiss supermarkets, but you can do your research fairly easily.

Just look at websites of al major supermarkets — Migros, Coop, Aldi, Lidl, and Denner — and see which products are discounted on any given day or week.

The same applies to the two chains known to be on the more expensive side — Coop and Migros.

Their respective ‘budget’ lines, PrixGarantie and MBudget, are cheaper than their ‘regular’ assortment. 

And keep in mind too that sometimes best deals can be found in smaller grocery shops.

READ ALSO: Why it might be cheaper to avoid the big supermarkets in Switzerland 

Appliances, electronics, and sports equipment

To find the lowest prices in this category, two websites will be helpful: Preisergleich.ch and Toppreise.ch

According to Moneyland consumer platform, these two sites “compare the going prices at many major Swiss retailers. Comparisons primarily include online retailers, and retailers which have both online and offline stores.”

Insurance

Before you take out any policy, whether the obligatory health (KVG / LaMal) or car insurance, or supplemental plans, you can compare their prices versus what coverage they offer.

Though the cost the basic KVG / LaMal is the same for everyone in your canton, (based on your age and co-pay deductible you choose), complimentary policies are priced differently, depending on what services they cover.

You can compare them on Bonus.ch, or FinanceScout24

Internet and mobile plans

You can compare Internet plans which are available at your exact address, and the Internet speeds you can actually get, as well as mobile plans on Bonus.ch  and Dschungelkompass.ch

Hotels

If you are going on holiday or just away for a weekend, the price of a hotel room in Switzerland, especially in popular tourist destinations, can cost quite a lot.

While you may not necessarily find a really cheap room in a decent hotel (or location), these sites will let you see what’s available, where, and at what price:

Switzerland Tourism 
Ebookers.ch 

Overall, there are two Swiss sites that offer price comparison on almost all services in Switzerland.

They are Comparis and Moneyland.

And also…

If you sign up at rabattcorner.ch, you will get discounts thanks to cashback and vouchers in more than 798 online stores, including Manor and MediaMarkt. You can also benefit from travel discount on SWISS airline, and other travel, leisure, and gastronomy options.

READ ALSO: Six essential tips that will save you money in Switzerland

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