3 ways you can save money as a physio in Switzerland

Yes, Switzerland is expensive. You probably knew that already. But what many physios don't know: the Swiss system is full of smart benefits that give you money. You just have to know where you're looking.

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The difference between “I spend everything here” and “I can live and save well here” is often not in your salary. It's in a few small choices that you make once and benefit you for months afterwards. We have listed three of those choices for you.

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1. Get the most out of your health insurance

If you're covered by CSS (and that's a lot of physios in Switzerland), you're probably missing out on benefits without knowing it.

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Via the active365 app, you earn points by doing things you already do as a physio anyway: exercise, hike, health. You can cash out, donate or redeem those points for products via enjoy365. With additional insurance with CSS, that can amount to 600 francs per year. Simply by doing what you love.

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And then there is the collaboration between CSS and the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC). CSS policyholders can stay in 87 SAC mountain huts at a member price without having to be a member. If you like to go to the mountains at the weekend, that can quickly save you dozens of francs per night. That's a bonus if you were already planning to do that hike.

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It takes you fifteen minutes to download the app and check your benefits. That fifteen minutes can earn you hundreds of francs a year. Want to know more about how the health insurance in Switzerland works? We'll explain it to you.

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2. Make your birthday a free adventure

This is such a typical Swiss thing that you only find out after a while. And it's pretty special.

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On your birthday, you can enter a surprising number of places for free or at a substantial discount. Think of a cable car ride to the Schilthorn (normally 108 francs), a first-class boat trip across Lake Lucerne, or a day of relaxing at Tamina Therme. Migros and Coop restaurants offer free dessert, and some pools and museums simply let you in for free.

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All you need is a valid ID. No registration, no bonus card, no hassle.

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As a physio, you can easily make a whole day of it: a mountain trip in the morning, a thermal bath in the afternoon, somewhere nice to eat in the evening. That feeling of a complete adventure on your birthday, while barely spending anything? That is Switzerland at its best. For a complete overview, see Together in Switzerland.

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3. Where you live determines how much you have left

This is perhaps the tip with the biggest impact on your wallet.

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In Zurich, you can easily pay more than 2,000 francs a month for a small apartment. If you live twenty minutes outside the city, you can save hundreds of francs a month. And twenty minutes by train in Switzerland feels very different than twenty minutes in the Netherlands. Public transport here is fast, punctual and comfortable.

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As a physio, you usually work at one fixed location. Then it's smart to see where you get the most for your money. A place just outside the city often gives you more space, more rest and lower monthly payments. On an annual basis, that difference can be in the thousands of francs, without sacrificing your lifestyle. Rather the opposite. Wondering what it costs to live? Check it out complete overview of rental prices.

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Smart living in an expensive country

Switzerland rewards physios who delve into how things work here. If you consciously choose where to live, use your insurance wisely and take advantage of the usual benefits, you can't live well here alone. You can also really build up financial space here.

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Curious about what you'll be left with as a physio in Switzerland? Read here how to from gross to net goes. Or check out the open vacancies and find out which step suits you.

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