Vaud relocation checklist

First 90 days in Vaud

1. Build a dossier in French: extrait des poursuites, 3 fiches de salaire, attestation employeur, copie du permis, courte lettre de motivation
2. Register at the Contrôle des habitants of your commune within 14 days (Lausanne, Pully, Morges, Nyon etc. all have their own counter)
3. Apply for your permit at the Service de la population (SPOP)
4. Pick a KVG/LAMal insurer within 3 months and check OVAM subsidy eligibility — Vaud subsidies are generous
5. Open a Swiss bank account — Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (BCV) is the local default
6. Get a Mobilis abonnement (Lausanne agglomeration) or a Léman Pass if you commute to Geneva
7. Above CHF 120k gross, file a regular declaration with VaudTax
8. If you have kids, contact the Etablissement scolaire of your commune — primary school placement is sectorised

Pick your stage in Vaud

Taxes, housing and insurance in Vaud

At an indicative gross salary of CHF 100,000 (single, no kids), the combined federal, cantonal and municipal income tax in Vaud works out to roughly 25.5%. Above CHF 120k gross, you must file a regular tax return even if you're under withholding (Quellensteuer) — don't miss the deadline. 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.

Lausanne's rental market is tight but not Zurich-tight — vacancy has been among the tightest in Switzerland. A 1-bedroom in Lausanne is broadly in line with the cantonal averages shown above, with 3-bedroom flats scaling proportionally. Morges, Nyon and the Côte are popular Geneva-commuter belts. Build your dossier in French — extrait des poursuites, fiches de salaire, attestation de l'employeur.

Adult standard premiums in Vaud on the standard franchise are above the national average. Vaud runs one of the most generous health-premium-subsidy schemes in Switzerland (subsides via the OVAM); check eligibility on vd.ch before paying the full premium.