DON’T MISS
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Career
Swiss news & articles
Which area of Switzerland offers the highest take-home pay?
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Which area of Switzerland offers the highest take-home pay?

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

Which companies in Switzerland offer the best customer service?Which companies in Switzerland offer the best customer service?
What are the top worries among people in Switzerland?What are the top worries among people in Switzerland?
What does it mean to be in poverty in Switzerland?What does it mean to be in poverty in Switzerland?
Number of people at risk of poverty in Switzerland hits 10-year highNumber of people at risk of poverty in Switzerland hits 10-year high
8 important things happening in Switzerland in April 20248 important things happening in Switzerland in April 2024
July 2025 in Switzerland: 9 key things expats need to knowJuly 2025 in Switzerland: 9 key things expats need to know
Moving to Switzerland: A step-by-step guideMoving to Switzerland: A step-by-step guide
What is Swiss banking secrecy and how has it changed?What is Swiss banking secrecy and how has it changed?
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Apr 20, 2023
Jan de Boer

Editor at IamExpat Media

Jan studied History at the University of York and Broadcast Journalism at the University of Sheffield. Though born in York, Jan has lived most of his life in Zurich and has worked as a journalist, writer and editor since 2016. While he has plunged head-first back into life in Switzerland since returning to the country in 2020, he still enjoys a taste of home at pub quizzes and karaoke nights.Read more

New data from German market research firm GfK has revealed which Swiss cantons and towns offer the highest disposable income in 2023. While Switzerland is famed for its high purchasing power and prices in comparison to the rest of Europe, the amount of take-home pay offered can vary wildly across the country. 

Purchasing power in Switzerland to rise in 2023

For the purposes of this study, purchasing power refers to the amount of money left over from an average person’s salary, once the cost of taxes and social security are taken into account. In short, the total amount of money that can be spent on savings, buying or renting property, leisure time and other consumer goods.

According to GfK, workers in Switzerland will have an average of 48.634 Swiss francs to spend in 2023, a slight increase when compared to last year. The rate of purchasing power remains one of the highest in Europe, despite recent reports which have shown that when inflation is added into the mix, Swiss purchasing power has declined to levels unseen since World War Two.

Which Swiss canton offers the highest take-home pay?

In terms of Swiss cantons, one area of the country rises to the top - as it very often does when it comes to wealth rankings like the cheapest taxes, highest rental costs and most expensive cars: Zug. The average inhabitant receives a take-home pay of 77.677 Swiss francs a year, 59,7 percent more than the national average.

Watson attributed Zug’s high score to a combination of high salaries and some of the lowest taxes in the country. It also needs to be noted that while take-home pay is high, so too are living and housing costs.

Average purchasing power varies hugely by canton

The traditional low-tax cantons of Schwyz (69.973 francs a year per person) and Nidwalden (59.651 francs) rounded out the podium, with the expat hub of Canton Zurich placing fourth. Watson noted that only eight of the 26 cantons have an average take-home pay higher than the national average, further showcasing how much of an outlier some of the richest cantons are. 

For those interested, the canton with the lowest take-home pay was Jura at around 42.208 Swiss francs per person per year. While this is 13 percent lower than the national average, Watson added that it is still 16.300 francs a year more than the average purchasing power for German citizens (25.830 francs a year).

10 Swiss cantons that offer the highest disposable incomes

In all, here are the Swiss cantons that offer the highest take-home pay:

  1. Zug (77.677)
  2. Schwyz (69.973)
  3. Nidwalden (59.651)
  4. Zurich (55.234)
  5. Obwalden (52.721)
  6. Appenzell Innerrhoden (50.619)
  7. Basel-Land (50.350)
  8. Geneva (49.215)
  9. Basel-Stadt (48.520)
  10. Lucerne (47.766)

While these rates of purchasing power are eye-watering on their own, they pale in comparison to some Swiss councils (Gemeinde), especially those known for their affluent communities and low taxes.

Which Swiss towns offer the highest take-home pay?

In all, here are the towns with the highest disposable income in the country:

  1. Höfe, Schwyz (118.970)
  2. Meilen, Zurich (78.126)
  3. Zug, Zug (77.677)
  4. Küssnacht, Schwyz (71.584)
  5. March, Schwyz (64.703)
  6. Horgen, Zurich (62.530)
  7. Lavaux-Oron, Vaud (59.661)
  8. Nidwald, Nidwalden (59.651)
  9. Zurich Affoltern, Zurich (58.061)
  10. Nyon, Vaud (56.846)

For more information, check out the GfK study.

Thumb image credit: Shutterstock.com / Sriya Pixels

By Jan de Boer