Switzerland has long been known as one of the countries that have the best educational systems globally (according to OECD, PISA, and WEF). Studying abroad in Switzerland has long become the top choice of many international students; therefore, the choice to study in which Swiss city is also a matter of concern for these students and their parents.

Switzerland is the hometown of more than 100 Nobel Prize winners. Zug is a Swiss canton, meaning administrative region, located right in the middle of the country, as well as of Europe. It is considered to be Europe’s entrepreneurship, innovation, and business hub. Zug also possesses many leading research and development centers and institutes of Switzerland and Europe, some of which includes:

• Institute of Financial Services Zug (HSLU)
• School of Information Technology (HSLU)
• Institute für Energy and Resource Efficiency (WERZ)
• Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation (SIMI)

In addition to other vibrant and affluent cities, Zug has emerged as the most prosperous, safest, most livable city and home to the most professionals in Switzerland, a country where the living expenses are high, and the living environment is safe. 

The latest survey conducted by InterNations, a company located in Munich reveals that Zug was the 8th most popular city in terms of quality of life, finance, housing, and cost of living. This article would like to share with you some characteristics making Zug the best city to live when it comes to Switzerland.

Switzerland’s Most Prosperous City

Zug has an average consumption of € 64,990 (2016) per capita, which is more than 1.5 times that of Switzerland’s average consumption per capita of € 42,300. (Source GLK). Switzerland’s expensive living standard is one of the concerns of international students. 

This is also one of the biggest concerns of international students when choosing to study at Zug, the “luxurious” place for studying and living that is not for the majority.

Zug is Switzerland’s best place to live

Despite its high cost, Zug is Switzerland’s most livable place for many years. For the past 20 years, Zug has ranked #1 as the best region to live in Switzerland according to Credit Suisse (Quality of Location indicator, Zug Canton). And for the first time in 20 years, in 2019, Zug fell to second place, but the good news is, by 2020, Zug returns to the first place as Switzerland’s most desirable place to live and remains no 1 until now.

Zug is Switzerland’s stable place and the safest area to live

Zug is Switzerland’s safest region with the lowest crime rate per 1,000 population of all Swiss cities and regions. (Source: Swiss Federal Statistical Office 2020). Zug’s safety index is the highest in Switzerland, much safer than Geneve, Zurich.

With almost absolute safety, international students at Zug are completely assured of learning, researching, and working in a particularly secure and civil environment.

Zug has the highest quality of life in Switzerland

Zug owns the most modern and convenient transportation and infrastructure system in Switzerland. Zug also brings together many of the most diverse and stable international schools, healthcare services, as well as political and cultural systems. (Source: Zug Canton)

Over the past 20 years, Zug has been considered the most attractive destination for international experts because of the safety, infrastructure, and service quality of the social security system.

Switzerland’s central location

Zug is a Swiss canton, located in the heart of Switzerland. The city is considered the center of entrepreneurship, innovation, and business of Europe. Although German is widely spoken by the locals, English is also considered a common language in Zug.

In terms of acreage, the city of Zug is quite small, but it is the central city of Switzerland and Europe, very flourishing and convenient with the public transport systems covering Switzerland and Europe. From Zug, you can go anywhere by public transport.

Zug is the most diverse place in Switzerland

Residents in Zug come from 142 different countries (Europe 88%, Asia 5%, USA 4%, Africa 2%, Australia 1%). Source: Fachstelle Statistik Kanton Zug, 2018. Zug is also the most favorite destination for Asians with 5% of Asians. This is also the region that has the highest number of Asians living and working in Switzerland.

Zug is home to many of the leading businesses and is considered the creative valley of all of Europe

Zug is also known as the best place to start a business due to its tax subsidy system, and best stability, and most modern infrastructure. Most of the leading multinational companies are based here. With great tax support, business development, and a convenient transportation system, Zug has emerged as an intellectual industrial city in Switzerland

Zug was also ranked first as the Micro European City of the Future with first place in terms of (1) friendliness, and first place for (2) human resource quality and lifestyle, and (3) the potential of the economy. (Source: FDI Intelligence)

International students also have the opportunity to work with Zug-based multinationals without having to move around.

Zug is a gathering place for many of the high-quality human resources

Zug has the highest rate of educated workers in Switzerland, with more than 50% of the population having a university degree. (Source: Bundesamt für Statistik, Geostat, Credit Suisse, 2020). As the region with half of the population earned undergraduate degrees, it is understandable that Zug is the convergence of countless creative, entrepreneurial and intellectual achievements.

Zug is the cradle of many of Switzerland’s leading institutes, schools, and educational centers

Zug brings together most of Switzerland’s top research and training institutes with quality, diversity, and class. However, the tuition fee and living costs in Zug are the most expensive in all of Switzerland and Europe. This is, again, one of the barriers for full-time international students at Zug.

Although Zug is the most expensive place to live, due to its safety, diversity, prosperity, and great opportunities in securing life and work, etc, choosing to study in Zug is something you should consider.

The Swiss Institute of Management and Innovation is proud to be the first institute of higher education in Zug, Switzerland. By understanding the advantages and disadvantages of studying in Zug, especially the living cost, SIMI cooperates with EEH (European Education Holdings) to provide significant financial aid for students to feel stress-free when enrolling in this top-of-the-line but cost-effective training system.

Please contact us to get more information about Zug and Switzerland in general and study abroad in Zug, Switzerland in particular.

Source: The Swiss Institute of Management & Innovation (SIMI)