Moving to Zurich with kids: schools, areas and costs

Last reviewed: November 2026 by Catherine from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Families moving to Zurich with kids usually arrive with a job offer and a deadline, and the order in which you tackle permits, insurance, school and housing matters. Places in the free local schools follow the address you register, and international schools ask for a start date, so the school decision and the flat search have to run together.

This guide sets out the paperwork, the real monthly costs for a family, the choice between the local Volksschule and an international school, and the areas where families settle. If Germany is also on your list, compare it with our guide to moving to Germany with kids, its schools, visas and costs.

Which permit will your family need?

It depends on your passport. EU and EFTA citizens fall under free movement: with a contract of at least 12 months or of unlimited length, SEM issues a B residence permit valid for five years, renewable for another five.

Everyone else needs a quota permit, and SEM is clear that non-EU nationals are admitted only as managers, specialists or other qualified staff, usually with a degree and several years' experience. The employer must show that no suitable candidate could be found in Switzerland or the EU and EFTA, and pay salaries customary for the region and sector. For 2026 the Federal Council set 4,500 B permits and 4,000 L permits for third-country nationals and a separate quota of 2,100 B and 1,400 L permits for UK citizens, unchanged from the year before. The Federal Council sets the next year's figures each autumn, so ask your employer which quota your application falls under.

How much does health insurance cost for a family?

Basic health insurance is compulsory for everyone living in Switzerland, children included, and the federal portal ch.ch gives new arrivals three months to arrange it; cover then applies back to the date of arrival. Premiums vary by insurer, region and deductible.

The Federal Office of Public Health put the 2027 Swiss average at CHF 487.60 a month for an adult and CHF 128.10 for a child, with premiums up 5.0% on average. These are national averages, not Zurich figures: the premium for your postcode can be higher or lower. At those averages a couple with two children pays about CHF 1,231 a month, or roughly CHF 14,800 a year, before any supplementary cover. A higher deductible lowers the premium but raises what you pay at the doctor.

Kita and childcare before school

For under-fours, the city of Zurich subsidises Kita places according to household income and working hours. Parents in a subsidised place pay at most CHF 120 a day and at least CHF 12, and the city pays the difference. For couples, the subsidised number of days is the combined working percentage minus 100% (20% equals one day), and the city funds up to 240 days a year. Kitas decide themselves whether to offer subsidised places, and longer opening hours can be billed on top, so ask each Kita for its tariff in writing.

Local Volksschule or international school?

The local Volksschule is free and taught in German. In the city of Zurich, children who turn four by 31 July start the two compulsory Kindergarten years that August; the 2027-28 year begins on Monday 23 August 2027, and parents of eligible children receive a letter from the city's school office from mid-November. Newly arrived pupils get German as a second language support: two lessons a week in Kindergarten and an intensive beginners' lesson every day from primary level.

The academic route is the Gymnasium, entered by the cantonal Zentrale Aufnahmeprüfung (ZAP) in German and mathematics. For the long Gymnasium after sixth class, registration runs from 1 January to 10 February 2027 and the exam is on Monday 8 March 2027. Candidates need an overall 4.75 with their school grades, or 4.5 without them, and registration costs CHF 50. For a child who arrives at 11 with little German, an exam set in German is a high bar, so on a short posting an English-language school is usually the more realistic option for older children.

International schools in and around Zurich

Zurich International School

A non-profit day school founded in 1963, ZIS teaches 1,300 students from more than 55 countries on two campuses: Wädenswil for ages 3 to 11 and Adliswil for ages 11 to 18. It offers more than 70 AP and IB courses. Tuition for 2026-27 is CHF 27,750 in Kindergarten, CHF 32,800 in Grades 1 to 5, CHF 36,450 in Grades 6 to 8 and up to CHF 39,700 in Grades 11 and 12, plus a one-off CHF 5,000 infrastructure fee from Kindergarten and a CHF 500 application fee.

Inter-Community School Zurich

In Zumikon, east of the city, ICS describes itself as an IB continuum school with 65 years of history. Its 2026-27 schedule lists CHF 27,200 for Kindergarten 1, CHF 33,300 for Grades 1 to 5, CHF 37,500 for Grades 6 to 8 and CHF 40,300 for Grades 11 and 12, which includes IB Diploma exam fees. A CHF 5,000 capital fund fee applies once; bus, lunch and after-school care are billed separately.

Academia International School Zurich

Near Oerlikon in the north of the city, Academia teaches the IGCSE and A Level route at secondary level. Its 2026-27 price list shows a single fee of CHF 28,990 a year with a CHF 600 registration fee; a version with extra German lessons costs CHF 32,990. It suits teenagers heading for UK-style qualifications.

For boarding options across the country, see our guide to IB boarding schools in Switzerland and how to choose one.

Where do families live in and around Zurich?

Most families choose by school commute. South-west of the city, Kilchberg, Adliswil, Thalwil and Wädenswil sit close to the two ZIS campuses, while Küsnacht and Zollikon on the right shore put ICS in Zumikon and several bilingual schools within reach. Inside the city, Statistik Stadt Zürich's April 2026 rent survey gives median net rents for market-rate four-room flats by quarter:

Figures are rents paid in existing tenancies in April 2026, excluding non-profit housing; newly advertised flats often cost more. The survey covers only the city, so for Kilchberg, Adliswil, Thalwil, Wädenswil, Küsnacht and Zollikon compare current listings before signing.

What does a year in Zurich cost a family of four?

Here is an example built only from the published figures above, for two children in Grades 1 to 5 at ZIS and a four-room flat in Wollishofen:

• Tuition: 2 x CHF 32,800 = CHF 65,600, plus CHF 11,000 in one-off infrastructure and application fees in the first year.
• Rent: CHF 2,678 x 12 = CHF 32,136, before utilities.
• Health insurance: about CHF 14,800 at the 2027 national averages.

That is about CHF 112,500 a year before food, transport and childcare, or CHF 123,500 in the first year. Ask your employer early whether school fees or a housing allowance are part of the package.

Moving checklist

1. Confirm the permit route with your employer and, for non-EU families, which quota applies.
2. Register at your municipality or, in the city, your district office after you arrive.
3. Take out basic health insurance for every family member within three months.
4. Apply to international schools as soon as dates are fixed, or register for Kindergarten through the city's school office.
5. Put your name on Kita waiting lists and ask which places are subsidised.
6. For a sixth-class child aiming at the Gymnasium, note the ZAP registration window of 1 January to 10 February 2027.

Compare schools in Zurich

When you have a shortlist of areas, check which schools fit your commute and budget in our ranking of the best international schools in Zurich.

More guides to schools in Zurich

• Bilingual schools in Zurich
• International school fees in Zurich
• How to choose an international school in Zurich
• International school admissions in Zurich
• Best international schools in Zurich
• best international schools in Zurich

Frequently asked questions

Is it expensive to live in Zurich with a family?

Yes. At 2027 national averages, health insurance for two adults and two children costs about CHF 1,231 a month, and a market-rate four-room flat in the city had a median net rent of CHF 2,434 in April 2026. Tuition at the three international schools in this guide adds CHF 27,200 to CHF 40,300 per child a year, so most expat budgets depend on employer support.

Can my child go to a local school in Zurich without speaking German?

Yes. The Volksschule is free and must take children living in the area. In the city of Zurich, newly arrived pupils receive German as a second language support, with two lessons a week in Kindergarten and an intensive beginners' lesson every day from primary level. Older children find the jump to German-language secondary school and the Gymnasium exam harder.

When do children start school in Zurich?

Children who turn four by 31 July start the two compulsory Kindergarten years that August, and primary school follows at about six. In the city of Zurich the 2027-28 school year starts on Monday 23 August 2027, and families receive a letter about Kindergarten from mid-November. International schools often take children from age three in preschool.