Cheap apartments to rent in Zurich for Expats

How can you find a cheap apartment to rent in Zurich? Expats often have a hard time finding an affordable apartment to rent in Zurich that meets their expectations. However, there are a few strategies that help expats find an apartment to rent for little money.

There is no magic trick how you will find a cheap apartment to rent in Zurich unfortunately. If your budget is tight, consider living outside of Zurich. Zurich is small compared to other main cities worldwide and it is very well connected by public transportation. A half an hour train ride  brings you to outskirts and other smaller cities around Zurich where the rents are much lower. Expats in Zurich who want to save money might find a good deal outside of Zurich where you get much more for your money and where the apartment search is easier as demand is lower.

Check subsidised rental apartment offers or such which are run by housing cooperatives. Check the websites of the canton and the city of Zurich and if you are part of a public institution like a university, there might be apartments for rent available which are offered quite below the market prices. Apartments owned by housing cooperatives dedicated to the cause of  offering affordable housing are often much cheaper as they won’t try to make as much profit as possible but just as much as they need to cover their cost.

Share an apartment, possibly with other expats in Zurich. Sharing an apartment in Zurich is often much cheaper than renting your own. If you share you not only split your rent but also a lot of other costs: electricity, internet, furniture, etc. Another advantage of sharing an apartment in Zurich with other expats is that it is usually easier to find a room in an apartment  than renting a whole apartment. Especially if you use flatsforexpats.com where you can find lots of rooms of other expats in Zurich who are looking for friendly flatmates!