Glarus relocation checklist

First 90 days in Glarus

1. Register at the Einwohnerkontrolle of your commune (Glarus Nord, Glarus or Glarus Süd) within 14 days
2. Apply for your permit at the Hauptabteilung Migration Kanton Glarus
3. Pick a KVG insurer within 3 months — GL has among the lowest premiums in Switzerland
4. Open a Swiss bank account — Glarner Kantonalbank (GLKB) is the local default
5. Get an Ostwind regional abo or a GA if you commute beyond the canton
6. Above CHF 120k gross, file a regular GL tax return — the canton runs its own e-filing
7. If you have school-age kids, the Volksschule of your commune handles placement under Lehrplan 21
8. If you live in the canton on the first Sunday in May, attending the Landsgemeinde in Glarus is genuinely worthwhile — it's the cantonal legislature in open-air session and you can attend even as a non-citizen

Pick your stage in Glarus

Taxes, housing and insurance in Glarus

At an indicative gross salary of CHF 100,000 (single, no kids), the combined federal, cantonal and municipal income tax in Glarus works out to roughly 19.0%. Only 3 municipalities (merged in 2011). Very affordable but remote — the A3 motorway is your lifeline. 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.

Glarus has one of the most relaxed rental markets in Switzerland — vacancy is comfortably above the national average. A 1-bedroom in Glarus or Glarus Nord is broadly in line with the cantonal averages shown above, with 3-bedroom flats scaling proportionally — among the most affordable in Switzerland.

Adult standard premiums in canton Glarus on the standard franchise are among the lowest in Switzerland, reflecting the canton's small, alpine, lower-cost population profile. The canton has one premium region.