Aargau relocation checklist

First 90 days in Aargau

1. Build a rental dossier — Aargau is easier than ZH but landlords still expect Betreibungsauszug, three payslips, references and a copy of your permit
2. Register at the Einwohnerkontrolle of your Aargau commune within 14 days (each Gemeinde runs its own counter — Baden, Aarau, Wettingen, Lenzburg etc.)
3. Apply for your permit at the Amt für Migration und Integration Kanton Aargau (MIKA)
4. Pick a KVG insurer within 3 months — Aargau is mid-pack on premiums
5. Open a Swiss bank account — Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB) is the local default; UBS and PostFinance work everywhere
6. Get a ZVV abo if you commute to Zurich (Baden/Wettingen sit inside the ZVV zone matrix) or a TNW/U-Abo for Basel-side commutes
7. Above CHF 120k gross, file a regular tax return — Aargau uses EasyTax AG
8. If you have school-age kids, the Volksschule of your commune handles placement under Lehrplan 21

Pick your stage in Aargau

Taxes, housing and insurance in Aargau

At an indicative gross salary of CHF 100,000 (single, no kids), the combined federal, cantonal and municipal income tax in Aargau works out to roughly 21.5%. Popular with Zurich commuters wanting lower taxes. Commune rates vary a lot — compare before signing a lease. Cantonal child deductions and family allowances apply on top of the federal allowance — for an exact figure for your household, use the official cantonal calculator linked above. Your real tax bill depends on the commune (each sets its own Steuerfuss / coefficient), your civil status, Pillar 3a contributions and any BVG buy-ins.

Aargau's rental vacancy has historically been comfortable by Swiss standards — among the more relaxed markets in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. A 1-bedroom in Baden or Aarau is broadly in line with the cantonal averages shown above, with 3-bedroom flats scaling proportionally. Baden, Wettingen and Brugg are the natural Zurich commuter belt; Rheinfelden and Frick lean toward Basel; Lenzburg and Aarau anchor the canton's own job market.

Adult standard premiums in canton Aargau on the standard franchise are close to the Swiss average. The canton is split into two premium regions, with the Zurich-adjacent eastern strip slightly higher than the rural west.