Moving to Aargau

Aargau relocation checklist

Prefer a task list with deadlines? The Aargau relocation checklist covers your first 90 days step by step, with separate stages for people who just arrived, are moving soon, are still planning, or are moving with family.

Taxes 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.

Top communes to consider

• BadenDirect trains to Zurich in ~15 min
• WettingenJust over the ZH border
• AarauCantonal capital, full services

Housing & rent

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.

Health insurance

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.

Local insight: Aargau

Aargau's identity is that it doesn't have one — and that's the point. Baden plugs straight into Zurich on the SBB (15-minute Intercity), Rheinfelden plugs straight into Basel on the S1, and Aarau sits at the rail crossroads between both. The result is a canton full of dual-loyalty commuters: Zurich pay-scale, Aargau cost-of-living. The big private employers — ABB, Axpo, Roche in Stein, General Electric in Birr — are clustered in the same belt, which means many residents actually work inside the canton too. Lifestyle is suburban-Swiss with strong wine (the Schenkenbergertal), good Aare swimming in summer, and ski areas in the Jura 30 minutes away. The catch: cultural life is thinner than in any of the neighbouring city-cantons, so weekend trips to Zurich, Basel or Lucerne are part of the deal.

Best for

Watch out for

First-90-days checklist

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

Compare Aargau with neighbours

Frequently asked questions

Official links