Canton Zug
Living in Zug as an expat
60 providers in and around Zug, by category and language. Every listing is checked by hand.
In short
Zug is the capital of the German-speaking canton of Zug, with 32,160 residents at the end of 2025, 37.3% of them foreign nationals. The average net rent of a three-room flat in the canton was CHF 1,875 in 2024, and only 0.20% of homes stood empty in June 2026. The city tax multiplier is 52%.
Zug in figures
Checked
- Residents
- 32,160
- permanent resident population, City of Zug; canton 135,018
- 31 Dec 2025 · Canton of Zug, Fachstelle für Daten und Statistik (opens in a new tab)
- Foreign residents
- 37.3%
- 12,007 people; canton 30.6%
- 31 Dec 2025 · Canton of Zug, Fachstelle für Daten und Statistik (opens in a new tab)
- English as a main language
- 14.1%
- residents aged 15+, canton figure (FSO structural survey); Switzerland 7.4%
- 2024 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO/BFS) (opens in a new tab)
- Vacancy rate
- 0.20%
- 126 empty homes, canton figure, lowest in Switzerland
- 1 June 2026 · Canton of Zug, Fachstelle für Daten und Statistik (opens in a new tab)
- Rent, 3-room flat
- CHF 1,875 a month
- average net rent of occupied flats, canton figure (FSO)
- 2024 · Federal Statistical Office (FSO/BFS) (opens in a new tab)
- Tax multiplier
- 52%
- City of Zug, plus 78% cantonal multiplier, of the simple tax
- 2026 · Canton of Zug, tax administration (opens in a new tab)
- Monthly transport pass
- CHF 65
- Tarifverbund Zug, 1 zone, adult, 2nd class; all zones CHF 81
- 2026 · Tarifverbund Zug (opens in a new tab)
- Registration deadline
- 14 days
- after entering Switzerland, and before starting work
- 2026 · Canton of Zug, Amt für Migration (opens in a new tab)
Services in Zug
60 providers in 10 categories
- Permit applications (8)
- Immigration consultants (1)
- Immigration lawyers (2)
- International movers (1)
- Local movers (1)
- Storage (1)
- GPs & family doctors (1)
- Dentists (2)
- Paediatricians (1)
- Therapists & psychologists (2)
Insurance advisors
- Health insurance advice (1)
Lawyers & notaries
- Notaries (2)
- International schools (2)
- Bilingual schools (2)
- Kitas & daycare (3)
- Nanny agencies (1)
- Tutoring (2)
- German (1)
- Several languages (2)
Featured in Zug
Premium listings
Prime Relocation
Full-service relocation · ZugPrime Relocation is a family-owned relocation agency in Zug, founded in 2006, helping expats, families and HR teams with home search, permits, temporary housing, schools and settling in.
Welcome Service
Full-service relocation · ZugWelcome Service is a family-owned relocation firm founded in 1990, with offices in Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich, handling permits, home search, schools and settling in for families and HR teams.
Auris Relocation
Full-service relocation · ZugAuris Relocation is a Swiss relocation and global mobility firm with nine offices from Geneva to Lugano, handling permits, home search, schools and moves for companies and families.
How do you register when you move to Zug?
Foreign nationals arriving from abroad or another canton register with the cantonal migration office (Amt für Migration) within 14 days of entering Switzerland and before starting work. The migration office passes the registration on to the City of Zug's residents' office (Einwohnerkontrolle), and the city charges nothing for it. Health insurance follows within three months.
In Zug the first stop for foreign nationals is the canton, not the city. The City of Zug states that anyone moving in from abroad or from another canton registers with the Amt für Migration of the Canton of Zug, whatever their permit, and that the city then receives the registration automatically. The registration itself is free(stadtzug.ch, checked ).
EU/EFTA citizens send form A1, with its documents, by post to the migration office at Aabachstrasse 1, 6301 Zug, within 14 days of entering Switzerland or moving from another canton, and before starting their job(Amt für Migration Zug, checked ). Non-EU/EFTA nationals need a permit before they take up work; our guide to B, L and C permits explains the types, and registering at your commune covers the process across Switzerland.
Documents for form A1 when arriving from abroad
- Copy of your passport or identity card
- Copy of your birth certificate
- Copy of your signed employment contract
- Copy of the rental agreement, plus the landlord's confirmation for a sublet
- School confirmation for children of school age, and proof of custody where it applies
The list comes from the canton's English version of form A1(Amt für Migration Zug, checked ). Swiss citizens can report a move online through eUmzug. The city's residents' office is in the Stadthaus at Gubelstrasse 22 and is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 17:00(stadtzug.ch, checked ).
Everyone who takes up residence in Switzerland must take out basic health insurance within three months; cover then runs back to the day of arrival(FOPH, checked ). The first 90 days in Switzerland guide puts these steps in order.
Your first two weeks in Zug
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Where do expats live in Zug?
The City of Zug has eleven official quarters, from the historic Altstadt on the lake to Guthirt and Herti on the plain and Oberwil below the Zugerberg. Homes are scarce: only 0.20% of the canton's homes were empty on 1 June 2026. The neighbouring communes of Baar, Cham, Hünenberg, Risch and Steinhausen set their own tax rates.
The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) put the average net rent of an occupied three-room flat in Canton Zug at CHF 1,875 a month in 2024, the highest of any canton for that size, against CHF 1,446 for Switzerland(FSO, checked ). The average covers every tenancy, including leases signed years ago, so flats advertised to newcomers usually cost more. Service and heating charges come on top of net rent.
On 1 June 2026 only 126 homes stood empty in the whole canton, a vacancy rate of 0.20%, the lowest of all cantons. Within the canton, Neuheim had the lowest rate (0.09%) and Risch the highest (0.32%)(zg.ch statistics, checked ). For the cost side of the move, see cost of living in Zug and the guide to rental deposits.
The city's quarters
The city's building handbook uses the official names of its quarters. The Altstadt and the Neustadt form the centre, the Zugerberg is forest, nature reserve and farmland with no residential zone, and eight quarters hold the residential areas: Oberwil, Gimenen, St. Michael, Rosenberg, Loreto, Guthirt, Herti and Lorzen(City of Zug, checked ). The table describes five of them.
Neighbouring communes
Each commune in the canton sets its own tax multiplier, so the same salary is taxed differently a few kilometres apart(zg.ch, checked ). Baar has the lowest multiplier of the neighbours in 2026; see the pages for Baar and Hünenberg.
Quarters of the City of Zug
| Quarter | Location and character | Typical housing | Getting to the centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altstadt | Old town by the lake, in the city centre | Historic buildings under the city's old-town regulations | In the centre |
| Guthirt | On the plain from the railway tracks to the northern city boundary; built up from the early 1900s along Baarerstrasse | Apartment blocks, including Zug's first high-rises on Baarerstrasse; houses in Lauried | Next to the railway station |
| Herti | On the Lorze plain west of the station, split in two by the football and athletics stadiums | Large estates and high-rises from the 1960s and 1970s, the Herti 6 estate from the 2000s, terraced houses by the Lorze | Station on its eastern edge |
| Oberwil | Southernmost quarter, on the lake; a former fishing and farming village with a protected core | Village houses, the Leimatt twin towers of 1962, larger estates built since 2000 | Own railway stop since 1925, buses since 1947 |
| Zugerberg | Mountain above the city: forest, nature reserve and farmland, no residential zone | Farms and the Institut Montana boarding school | Zugerberg funicular, running since 1907 |
Source: City of Zug, Baukultur in den Quartieren (June 2022). Quarters in alphabetical order.
Zug and its neighbouring communes
| Commune | Residents | Foreign residents | Tax multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zug | 32,160 | 37.3% | 52% |
| Baar | 25,519 | 32.2% | 47.53% |
| Cham | 18,518 | 27.9% | 54% |
| Hünenberg | 8,985 | 20.2% | 53% |
| Risch (Rotkreuz) | 11,830 | 28.3% | 54% |
| Steinhausen | 10,449 | 27.1% | 53% |
Residents and foreign share on 31 Dec 2025: statistics office of the Canton of Zug (FSO STATPOP). Multipliers for 2026 in % of the simple tax, after rebates: Canton of Zug tax administration; the cantonal multiplier of 78% applies in every commune.
Apartment search in Zug
Premium and Featured listings are paid and shown first
Prime Relocation
Full-service relocation · ZugPrime Relocation is a family-owned relocation agency in Zug, founded in 2006, helping expats, families and HR teams with home search, permits, temporary housing, schools and settling in.
Welcome Service
Full-service relocation · ZugWelcome Service is a family-owned relocation firm founded in 1990, with offices in Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich, handling permits, home search, schools and settling in for families and HR teams.
Auris Relocation
Full-service relocation · ZugAuris Relocation is a Swiss relocation and global mobility firm with nine offices from Geneva to Lugano, handling permits, home search, schools and moves for companies and families.
What does it cost to live in Zug?
Rent is the largest cost. A couple with a young child in an average three-room flat would pay about CHF 1,875 in net rent, CHF 740.50 in basic health premiums and CHF 130 for two one-zone passes a month, before childcare and tax. Zug has the lowest average adult health premium of any canton for 2027.
The table builds a monthly example from official figures. Rent is the canton average for all tenancies, so a new lease will usually cost more(FSO, checked ). Health premiums are the FOPH averages for 2027 across all deductibles and insurance models; adults pay CHF 324.90 and children CHF 90.70 a month on average in Canton Zug, against CHF 487.60 for adults across Switzerland(FOPH, checked ).
Daycare is the item that varies most. The City of Zug's voucher calculator for 2026/27 puts the full cost of a daycare day at CHF 160 for children over 18 months, and parents pay at least CHF 10 a day after subsidies(City of Zug, checked ). Since 1 August 2026 the canton also pays a flat CHF 47.15 a day when all parents work(zg.ch, checked ). Every household pays the radio and TV fee of CHF 335 a year(OFCOM, checked ).
Our cost of living in Zug guide compares rents, taxes, premiums and transport with Zurich in more detail.
Example: couple with one child under four, three-room flat
| Item | Amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Net rent, three-room flat | CHF 1,875 a month | Canton average, all tenancies, 2024 (FSO) |
| Basic health insurance, two adults | CHF 649.80 a month | CHF 324.90 each, canton average for adults 26+, 2027 (FOPH) |
| Basic health insurance, one child | CHF 90.70 a month | Canton average for children, 2027 (FOPH) |
| Two monthly passes, one zone | CHF 130 a month | CHF 65 each, adult, 2nd class, 2026 (Tarifverbund Zug) |
| Daycare, full cost | CHF 160 a day | Children over 18 months, before subsidies, 2026/27 (City of Zug) |
| Cantonal childcare flat rate | minus CHF 47.15 a day | If all parents work, from 1 Aug 2026 (Canton of Zug) |
| Radio and TV fee | CHF 335 a year | Per household, 2026 (OFCOM) |
| Income tax | Depends on income | Multipliers 2026: city 52%, canton 78% |
Service charges, household insurance, food and telecoms are not included. Health figures are averages; your premium depends on insurer, deductible and model.
How much tax do you pay in Zug?
Cantonal and communal income tax in Zug is the simple tax multiplied by the cantonal rate of 78% and the city rate of 52% for 2026, plus church tax for members. Federal tax comes on top. Most foreign employees without a C permit pay tax at source, deducted from their salary.
The canton cut its multiplier from 82% in 2025 to 78% for 2026, and the City of Zug charges 52%. The Catholic parish charges 5.95% in 2026, and the cantonal Reformed church 6%(zg.ch, checked ). The neighbouring communes range from 47.53% in Baar to 54% in Cham and Risch.
Under tax at source, an ordinary assessment afterwards is compulsory if your gross income is above CHF 120,000 a year. Below that you can apply for one by 31 March of the following year, for example to claim deductions the tariff does not include(ESTV, checked ). Our guide to finding an English-speaking tax advisor explains when outside help is common.
People taxed in the ordinary way file their return by 30 April. The tax administration grants extensions online up to 31 December; requests beyond that are made in writing and cost CHF 35(zg.ch, checked ).
-
City multiplier 2026
52%
of the simple tax, City of Zug; canton 78%.
-
Tax return
30 April
filing date; online extensions up to 31 December.
-
Tax at source
CHF 120,000
gross a year, above which an ordinary assessment is compulsory.
Source ESTV (opens in a new tab) ↗
Which schools and childcare are there for expat families in Zug?
Public schools in the city are run by the Stadtschulen Zug and teach in German. Children who turn five by the end of February start compulsory kindergarten the following school year, and four-year-olds can attend a voluntary year. The canton recognises several private schools that teach in English, and both the canton and the city subsidise daycare.
Children who reach the age of four by the end of May can be enrolled in the voluntary kindergarten year; those who reach five by the end of February must attend kindergarten from the following school year. The Stadtschulen Zug send the enrolment papers to parents directly(Stadtschulen Zug, checked ).
Recognised private schools with English teaching
The canton's list of recognised private schools for compulsory schooling (as of 23 September 2026) includes these schools in and around Zug, in alphabetical order(zg.ch, checked ):
- Four-Forest Bilingual International School, Steinhausen: German and English, kindergarten to grade 9
- Institut Montana Zugerberg, Zug: bilingual primary and lower secondary, Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma, boarding and day school
- International School of Central Switzerland (ISCS), Cham: English, Cambridge curriculum, kindergarten to grade 12
- International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL): English, IB and AP; Zug Campus in Baar to grade 8, Riverside Campus in Hünenberg for grades 9 to 12
- SIS Swiss International School Rotkreuz-Zug, Rotkreuz: German and English, kindergarten and primary
For fees and admissions, see international schools in Zug and the national international schools overview; the directory lists international schools in Zug.
Daycare and subsidies
Since 1 August 2026 the canton pays a flat rate (Kantonspauschale) of 33% of average tariffs for daycare centres and childminders: CHF 47.15 a day for children over 18 months and CHF 52.60 for babies, until 31 July 2027. Income and wealth do not matter, but the child must be older than three months and all parents must work or be in formal training(zg.ch, checked ).
On top of that, the City of Zug issues childcare vouchers (Betreuungsgutscheine) to families with an income below CHF 170,000 and taxable assets below CHF 500,000. Vouchers are requested by the month before care starts, through the Civo portal with a ZUGLOGIN account(stadtzug.ch, checked ).
-
Full daycare cost
CHF 160 / day
over 18 months (CHF 180 under), City of Zug 2026/27.
-
Cantonal flat rate
CHF 47.15 / day
from 1 Aug 2026 if all parents work; CHF 52.60 for babies.
-
City vouchers
CHF 170,000
income limit; apply by the month before care starts.
How does healthcare work in Zug?
The Zuger Kantonsspital in Baar runs the canton's emergency centre around the clock. When your own doctor is not available, the canton's medical emergency line 0900 008 008 answers day and night at CHF 3.23 a minute. Call 144 for an ambulance. Basic health insurance is compulsory within three months of arrival.
The emergency centre of the Zuger Kantonsspital, Landhausstrasse 11 in Baar, is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Patients with minor emergencies are treated in the Notfallpraxis run by local doctors, right next to it; outside its opening hours the hospital's emergency centre takes them. The hospital gives no medical advice by phone and refers callers to their family doctor or to the out-of-hours line. The line 0900 008 008 is organised by the canton's medical association, covers the whole canton and connects callers to the doctor on duty(Zuger Kantonsspital, checked ).
For a life-threatening emergency call 144, for poisoning 145. For dental emergencies, call your own dentist first, then the hospital switchboard on 041 399 11 11(Zuger Kantonsspital, checked ).
Basic insurance must be in place within three months of arrival(FOPH, checked ). Zug forms a single premium region, and its average adult premium for 2027 is CHF 324.90 a month, the lowest of all cantons(FOPH, checked ). Read Swiss health insurance for expats for the rules, and how to find an English-speaking doctor for the search.
-
Emergency centre
24/7
Zuger Kantonsspital, Landhausstrasse 11, Baar.
-
Medical emergency line
0900 008 008
day and night, CHF 3.23 a minute; ambulance 144.
GPs and family doctors in Zug
Praxis Dr. med. Eichler
GPs & family doctors · ZugFamily doctor practice for general internal medicine close to Zug railway station; English website and Norwegian also spoken.
Checked by our editors · not yet confirmed by the business.
Is this your business?How do you get around Zug?
Buses, trains and the Zugerberg funicular in the canton share one fare system, the Tarifverbund Zug. In 2026 an adult second-class monthly pass costs CHF 65 for one zone and CHF 81 for all zones, and an annual pass CHF 585 and CHF 729. Adult monthly passes rise by CHF 4 in December 2026.
The annual pass costs the same as nine monthly passes. With an annual pass, a companion travels free on weekday evenings from 19:00 and all day at weekends and on public holidays; monthly passes for more than four zones are also valid on the Zugerberg funicular(Tarifverbund Zug, checked )(Tarifverbund Zug, checked ).
Fares in the network had been unchanged since December 2023. From the timetable change in December 2026, single tickets rise by 10 to 40 centimes and monthly passes by CHF 4 for adults and CHF 1 for young people(Tarifverbund Zug, checked ).
Moving with a car? Our guide to international movers covers import and registration.
Tarifverbund Zug passes in 2026
| Pass | 1 zone | All zones |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly, adult, 2nd class | CHF 65 | CHF 81 |
| Monthly, adult, 1st class | CHF 104 | CHF 130 |
| Monthly, age 6 to 24, 2nd class | CHF 50 | CHF 62 |
| Annual, adult, 2nd class | CHF 585 | CHF 729 |
| Annual, adult, 1st class | CHF 936 | CHF 1,170 |
Tarifverbund Zug prices checked 21 Oct 2026; adult monthly passes rise by CHF 4 from the December 2026 timetable change.
Do you need German in Zug?
German is the official language of the city and canton, and 77.9% of the canton's residents aged 15 and over named it as a main language in 2024. English comes next at 14.1%, against 7.4% across Switzerland. The canton lists a free first-information session and subsidised German courses for people moving in from abroad.
The figures come from the FSO structural survey of residents aged 15 and over, who can name up to three main languages(FSO, checked ).
The canton's integration page lists offers open to all newcomers: a free first-information session in many languages, the Grüezi Switzerland crash course on daily life, the Zug Host Programme that pairs newcomers with local residents, short German crash courses and a directory of subsidised German courses in the communes(zg.ch, checked ). Language skills are also one of the conditions for a C permit; see C permit requirements.
Private courses are listed under language schools in Zug.
What else do people ask about living in Zug?
Is Zug expensive?
For rent, yes: the average three-room flat in the canton cost CHF 1,875 a month in 2024, the highest of any canton. Health insurance is the cheapest of any canton, with an average adult premium of CHF 324.90 a month for 2027.
Do people speak English in Zug?
More than in most of Switzerland. In 2024, 14.1% of the canton's residents aged 15 and over named English as a main language, against 7.4% nationally. German remains the language of the authorities and the public schools.
Where do expats live in Zug?
Across the city's quarters, from the Altstadt and Guthirt near the station to Herti in the west and Oberwil on the lake, and in neighbouring communes such as Baar, Cham, Hünenberg, Risch-Rotkreuz and Steinhausen, which have their own tax multipliers.
When do I have to register in Zug?
Foreign nationals register with the cantonal migration office within 14 days of entering Switzerland and before starting work. The City of Zug receives the registration from the canton and charges no fee.
How long does it take to find a flat in Zug?
No official figure measures search times. The vacancy rate shows how tight the market is: 0.20% on 1 June 2026, or 126 empty homes in the whole canton, the lowest rate in Switzerland.
Is health insurance cheaper in Zug than in Zurich?
Yes. The FOPH average for adults in 2027 is CHF 324.90 a month in Canton Zug and CHF 477.00 in Canton Zurich.
Which hospital serves the City of Zug?
The Zuger Kantonsspital in Baar. Its emergency centre is open around the clock, with a doctors' Notfallpraxis next door for minor cases.
Sources
Last checked by the expat-services.ch editorial team
- Canton of Zug, Fachstelle für Daten und Statistik Permanent resident population by nationality in the communes of Zug, 2025 (Excel, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug, Fachstelle für Daten und Statistik Wohnungen: dwellings and empty dwellings in Canton Zug, 1 June 2026 (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Statistical Office (FSO/BFS) Average rent in francs by number of rooms and canton, 2024 (T 09.03.03.01, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Statistical Office (FSO/BFS) Main languages by major region and canton, 2024 (T 01.08.01.02, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug, tax administration Tax multipliers of the communes of Canton Zug for tax years 2023 to 2026 (PDF, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Tarifverbund Zug Monatsabo: monthly pass prices (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Tarifverbund Zug Jahresabo: annual pass prices (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Tarifverbund Zug Tarifverbund Zug raises prices moderately (31 Mar 2026, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH/BAG) Health insurance: requirement to obtain insurance for persons resident in Switzerland (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zug Zuzug anmelden: registering a move to the City of Zug (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug, Amt für Migration Registration form A1 for EU/EFTA citizens (PDF, English) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zug, Baudepartement Baukultur in den Quartieren: handbook on the city's quarters, June 2022 (PDF, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zug Stadt Zug in Zahlen: the city in figures (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug, Amt für gemeindliche Schulen Authorised private schools in the canton of Zug within compulsory school time, as of 23 Sep 2026 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Stadtschulen Zug Kindergarten: enrolment and age rules (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug Kantonspauschale Kinderbetreuung: cantonal childcare flat rate (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zug Betreuungsgutscheine beantragen: childcare vouchers (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- City of Zug Childcare voucher calculator, period 2026/27 (Excel, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Zuger Kantonsspital Notfallzentrum: emergency centre (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Zuger Kantonsspital Notfallnummern: emergency numbers (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug, tax administration Fristerstreckung Steuererklärung natürliche Personen: tax return deadline and extensions (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Tax Administration (ESTV) Taxation at source (CHF 120,000 threshold, 31 March; PDF, in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Canton of Zug Integrationsangebote: integration offers and German courses (in German) (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM/BAKOM) Abgabe für Privathaushalte: radio and TV fee for households (in German) (opens in a new tab)
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