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LIVING IN SWITZERLAND

Geneva vs Lausanne: Which Swiss city is the best to live in?

Thinking of moving to Switzerland? Geneva or Lausanne may be on your radar. From job opportunities and wages to the population and housing, there are several things to consider when choosing between the two.

Published: 30 January 2023 12:47 CET
Updated: 19 September 2023 16:58 CEST
Geneva vs Lausanne: Which Swiss city is the best to live in?
The A1 motorway which runs along Lake Geneva connects Geneva and Lausanne.Photo by Oksana Bürki on Unsplash

Only about 60 km separate the two cities, but in many ways, Geneva and Lausanne are a world apart.

For instance, local residents are likely to tell you that the two towns have a totally different character and vibe: Geneva is the bigger, more cosmopolitan, and edgier of the two, while Lausanne is known as being more quaint and laid back.

People who live in Lausanne have been known to say that Geneva, due to its proximity to France and a large number of cross-border commuters employed there, is more French than Swiss (obviously, this is not meant as a compliment).

Genevans, on the other hand, claim that Lausanne, and its inhabitants, are provincial and dull.

But even though there are clearly differences between the two cities, they have something in common as well: they are both French-speaking; both lie along Lake Geneva; and both have a high proportion of foreign residents.

READ MORE: Why the Swiss city of Lausanne is so popular among foreigners

Based on the data we collected from various official sources, here’s how these two cities compare to each other:

Geneva

Population: The larger of the two, Geneva’s population is just over half a million people, which makes it the second-largest Swiss city (after Zurich).

About 40 percent of Geneva’s permanent population are foreign nationals. In addition, about 100,000 border commuters from France are employed in Geneva —both city and canton.

Wages: Geneva’s salaries are among the highest in the country: the median net wage is 5,433.29 francs.

Rents: Rents are the highest in Switzerland, mostly because the demand outstrips the supply, and land for new construction is scarce.

READ MORE: Why are rents in Geneva the highest in Switzerland?

How much you pay each month depends on where you live — some neighbourhoods, especially those farther away from the centre, are cheaper than others.

In general, rents for a two-bedroom flat in the downtown area are 4,219 francs a month, and 3,016 francs away from the city centre.

International connections: Geneva has one of Switzerland’s three international airports, the other two being in Zurich and Basel.

It also has a number of TGV rail links — nine daily trains in both directions between Geneva and the Gare de Lyon in Paris.

To reach other European cities, however, commuters have to transit through Lausanne (see below).

International companies: In addition to more than 40 UN agencies, Geneva is also home to multinationals such as Caterpillar, Dupont, Cargill International, and Proctor & Gamble, to name just a few.

Day or night, Geneva shines. Image by Djamel RAMDANI from Pixabay 

And now let’s look at Lausanne.

Population: 149,000 people, about 40 percent of whom are foreign nationals.

Average net salary: 5,069 francs.

Rent: A three-bedroom accommodation in the city centre costs 3,127 francs a month.

Rent for the same sized-flat outside of downtown area goes for about 2,570 a month.

In all, rent prices in Lausanne are 22 percent lower than in Geneva, while the purchasing power is 6.2 percent higher in Geneva. 

International connections: Geneva’s airport can be reached in about 40 minutes by the A1 motorway.

In terms of trains, slightly fewer TGVs (seven) connect the city with Paris.However, Lausanne’s geography (versus Geneva, which is nestled tightly between Vaud on one side, and France and the lake on the other) allows better access to the rest of Europe.

For instance, aside from the seven Paris-bound TGVs, several trains circulate each day between Lausanne and Milan.

International companies: Lausanne is home to a number of multinationals, including Philip Morris International and The International Institute for Management Development (IMD).

It also hosts the International Olympic Committee, as well as  dozens of international sports federations for golf, gymnastics, rugby, bowling, skating, baseball, softball, and other sports.

Lausanne is also home to one of Switzerland’s foremost academic institutions, the Federal Polytechnic Institute (EPFL), a bilingual French-English university, which employs about 6,000 people from around the world. 

Lausanne’s Cathedral overlooking the city. Photo by Fabrice Coffrini /AFP

The verdict: Geneva or Lausanne?

Slight differences in the salaries and rents aside, both cities have a lot of offer.

If the location of your job doesn’t enter into play, the choice of one city or another depends on personal preference.

If you prefer a big city with a distinctly international flair and a quick access to France to do your shopping, Geneva may be a better choice.

But if you are more partial to a smaller, but nevertheless a very charming town, then Lausanne is right up your (cobblestoned) alley.
 
READ MORE: Swiss town ranked the ‘world’s best small city’
 
 
 

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For members

MONEY

Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

Usually, it is the parents’ responsibility to ensure their kids are well taken care of financially. But can Swiss authorities force the children to return the favour in times of need?

Published: 30 April 2024 15:31 CEST
Do adult children in Switzerland have to support their parents financially?

In most cases, once children are grown up and out of the house, they are (or at least should be) self-sufficient in terms of finances.

Parents too should breathe a sigh of relief that they are no longer obligated to pay for their children’s expenses, except perhaps for giving them some money here and there as a gift.

This is what happens in the best-case scenario.

But what if things don’t go according to this plan — for instance, if the parents find themselves in financial straits and can’t  afford to pay their bills?

Family obligations

Generally speaking, the truly needy people who don’t have enough income to pay for their basic living expenses will receive financial help from the government, in the very least in the form of the health insurance and housing subsidy.

READ ALSO: Can I get financial help in Switzerland if I’m struggling to pay the bills?

However, before doling out public money, authorities will see whether relatives should be made to help the struggling individuals pay their bills.

(In this context, ‘relatives’ means only those in the direct line of descent: grandparents, parents, and children.)

They will do it by checking the tax status of these relatives — how much they earn and what other financial assets they have — to determine whether, and how much, they should be paying toward their parents’ expenses.

Obviously, you will be expected to pay up only if your own financial situation allows it; you will not be forced to part with your money if you have very little of it yourself.

 ‘Favourable financial circumstaces’

Based on a Federal Court ruling, if the adult child  lives in ‘favourable financial circumstances’ they are required to help out their struggling parents.

The Court defined ‘favourable financial circumstances’ as income and assets allowing a comfortable life.

‘Comfortable life’, in turn, was defined by the Swiss Conference for Social Welfare (SKOS), as a taxable annual income of 120,000 francs for a single person, and 180,000 francs for married couples.

“If you have minors in your household, the limit is increased by 20,000 francs per child,” according to AXA insurance.

It goes on to say that you can deduct an exempt amount from your taxable assets.

“Your annual depletion of assets is deducted from the remaining amount. This means that if you are obligated to provide financial support, you are permitted to use part of your assets yourself each year; you don’t have to devote your entire assets to providing support.”

At between 18 and 30 years of age, this is 1/60th per year; from 31 to 40, 1/50th per year; 41 to 50, 1/40th per year; 51 to 60, 1/30th per year; and from the age of 61,1/20th per year. 

Are there any exemptions to these rules?

Aside from not having sufficient funds, you could be exempted from paying if, say, your parents, or parent, have not lived up to their own financial obligations toward you.

In Switzerland, parents are required to  provide financially for their children until the age of majority, and even beyond that if they are still studying or undergoing vocational training — typically, until the mid-20s.

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