Geneva hosts the United Nations' European headquarters, dozens of other international organisations and NGOs, private banks and trading firms. Newcomers arrive on UN or NGO contracts or with multinational employers, often with families. The city is small enough to cross by tram, and France is a short ride away. Daily life runs in French; English is the working language in much of the international sector.
The trade-off is housing. Very few flats are vacant, rents are high, and property managers (régies) pick from long lists of applicants. Many people live in France instead, in towns such as Annemasse, Ferney-Voltaire and Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, where rents per m² are roughly half Geneva's. That brings a cross-border permit, a choice of health insurance and a different tax set-up, all explained below.
At a glance
- Currency
- Swiss franc (CHF); euro (EUR) across the border
- Languages
- French; English widely used in international organisations and many companies
- Typical rent, 2 bedrooms (70–85 m², advertised as 4 pièces)
- CHF 2,800–3,800 a month in the city, unfurnished
- Asking price for flats
- about CHF 13,500–19,000 per m² in the city
- Buying costs on top of the price
- 3% registration duty, plus notary, land registry and mortgage-note costs
- Foreign buyers
- Lex Koller applies; people living abroad cannot buy, and there are no holiday-home permits in Geneva
- Airport
- Geneva Airport, 7 minutes by train from Cornavin station
- International schools
- several, on both sides of the border
- Cross-border living
- EU/EFTA citizens can live in France and work in Geneva on a G permit
Neighbourhoods
Prices shown are asking prices for flats. French towns are shown in euros.
Typical rent for a 2-bedroom flat
Asking rents for about 78 m² on long-term lets. Ranges, not quotes.
Areas in another currency are shown in their own section below.
Eaux-Vives
2-bed rent CHF 3,300–4,600On the left bank by the lake, around the Jet d'Eau, Parc La Grange and the Eaux-Vives Léman Express station. Older buildings and new developments, with shops, restaurants and bars. It suits professionals and families who want the lake and the centre on foot. Rents per m² are among the city's highest.
Price per m²: CHF 15,000–21,000Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agent
Champel
2-bed rent CHF 2,800–3,900A residential area on the hill above Plainpalais, with tree-lined streets, walks along the Arve and its own Léman Express station. The university hospital and the student life of Plainpalais are just below. Families and medical and academic staff like it. Prices sit just below Eaux-Vives.
Price per m²: CHF 14,500–20,500Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agent
Pâquis and Sécheron
2-bed rent CHF 2,700–3,800The Pâquis, between Cornavin station and the lake, is lively and multicultural, full of inexpensive restaurants, with the Bains des Pâquis swimming spot on the jetty; parts are noisy at night. Further north, Sécheron is quieter and closer to the UN, with lakeside parks. It suits singles and couples who want to walk to work. Rents are slightly below the city average.
Price per m²: CHF 13,000–18,500Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agent
Carouge
2-bed rent CHF 3,000–4,100A separate town just south of the Arve, built in the 18th century by the Kingdom of Sardinia, with low houses, courtyards, cafés, artisans and a market. Trams link it to the centre. It suits families and couples who want a village feel close to town. Purchase prices per m² are below central Geneva's.
Price per m²: CHF 12,500–17,500Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agent
Grand-Saconnex and Petit-Saconnex
2-bed rent CHF 2,500–3,500The right bank north of the centre, near the UN, the airport and Palexpo, with the International School of Geneva's Campus des Nations in Grand-Saconnex. Mostly residential, with blocks, green spaces and some villas. It suits international staff and families. It is one of the cheaper places on the Swiss side, though some streets have aircraft noise.
Price per m²: CHF 11,500–16,500Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agent
Cologny
2-bed rent CHF 3,300–4,700A lakeside commune on the left bank, east of the city, known for large villas, gardens and views across the water to the city and the Jura. Few flats come up, and most homes are houses. It suits senior executives and families who want space and quiet within a short drive of the centre. Expect high prices, especially for lakeside houses.
Price per m²: CHF 14,500–21,000Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agent
Annemasse (France)
2-bed rent €1,350–1,800A French town directly east of Geneva and a hub of the Léman Express, with direct trains into Geneva in under half an hour. It has shops, schools and a wide choice of flats. It suits people who want more space for the money. Rents and prices are well below Geneva's.
Price per m²: €3,100–4,100Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agentFrench rules, tax and schools apply.
Ferney-Voltaire (France)
2-bed rent €1,400–1,850A small French town in the Pays de Gex, just across the border from Grand-Saconnex and close to the airport, the UN and CERN. The Lycée international, with its English and other language sections, draws many international families. It suits staff of international organisations who want a short commute. Prices are far below Geneva's but above Annemasse's.
Price per m²: €4,300–5,800Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agentFrench rules, tax and schools apply.
Saint-Julien-en-Genevois (France)
2-bed rent €1,400–1,850A French market town just across the border south-west of Geneva, close to the motorway. It is quieter than Ferney-Voltaire and slightly cheaper to buy in, and suits people working in the south and west of Geneva.
Price per m²: €4,200–5,600Homes for sale hereHomes to rent hereAsk the agentFrench rules, tax and schools apply.
Renting in Geneva
Most flats are let unfurnished through régies, the agencies that manage buildings for owners. Geneva has no customary termination dates, so the dates and notice period in your lease are what count; the legal minimum notice for a flat is three months. Read them before you sign. To leave early, you can propose a solvent replacement tenant who will take over the lease on the same terms.
Deposit. By law, at most three months' rent, paid into a blocked bank account in your name. If you'd rather not tie up cash, deposit-guarantee insurers such as SwissCaution and Firstcaution issue a guarantee for a yearly premium.
Your dossier for a régie
Competition. Nationally, only 1.00% of homes stood empty in June 2025, the lowest share since 2013. Apply on the day you visit and follow up by email. Régies look mainly at income, job stability and the debt-collection record. Letting fees are paid by the owner. The tenants' association ASLOCA advises members on leases, rent levels and disputes.
Rent changes. Rents follow the national reference interest rate, 1.25% since September 2025 and unchanged on 1 September 2026. If your rent is based on a higher rate, you can ask for a reduction; increases must come on an official form.
Furnished and temporary flats. Furnished flats and sublets aimed at international staff are common and useful for the first months, but you pay a premium.
Renting in France. Leases across the border follow French law, which differs from Swiss law on deposits, lease length and notice. Have the lease checked by someone who knows French tenancy law before you pay anything.
Compare prices with the rent calculator or [search for flats to rent in Geneva](search:4-room flat to rent in Geneva).
Buying in Geneva
Who can buy. Under Lex Koller, EU and EFTA citizens living in Switzerland and anyone with a C permit buy like Swiss citizens. Other foreign residents can buy the home they live in, but not a second home or investment flat. Geneva has no designated holiday-home areas, so people living abroad cannot buy. One exception helps cross-border workers: EU and EFTA citizens on a G permit may buy a second home in the area where they work, but may not let it out.
Process and costs. The deal is signed as a public deed before a notary, who collects the funds and registers the sale. Geneva charges a 3% registration duty on the price. If the flat will be your main home and costs up to CHF 1 million, the duty is cut by CHF 15,000 (both amounts are indexed yearly), provided you move in within two years and stay three. For new builds, 3% applies to the land and work already done and 1% to the construction still to come.
| Cost | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| Registration duty | 3% of the price |
| Mortgage-note duty | 0.65% of the note amount plus surcharges; halved for a main home up to CHF 1 million |
| Notary and land registry fees | Set by official tariffs; ask for a quote |
| Estate agent | Usually paid by the seller |
The Geneva notaries' association publishes a costs calculator on its website, and our buying costs calculator gives a quick estimate.
Mortgages. National rules apply: at least 20% equity, of which 10% of the value must not come from your occupational pension; affordability tested at about 5% interest plus 1% upkeep and repayments, against a third of gross income; and any loan above two-thirds of the value repaid within 15 years. Start with the mortgage calculator, then ask a mortgage broker.
Annual costs and resale. Geneva levies a supplementary property tax of 1‰ of the property's tax value each year, on top of wealth tax. Imputed rental value is taxed as income until the end of 2028 and abolished from 1 January 2029. When you sell, the property gains tax falls with time: 50% of the gain within two years, 10% from ten years and 2% after 25 years.
Schools
| School | Curriculum | Ages | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| International School of Geneva (Ecolint) | IB PYP, MYP, Diploma and Career-related; bilingual options | 3–18 | Geneva (La Grande Boissière), Grand-Saconnex (Campus des Nations), Founex VD (La Châtaigneraie) |
| Collège du Léman | IB Diploma and Career-related, US High School Diploma, French Baccalauréat, Swiss Maturité | 2–18 | Versoix |
| Institut Florimont | Swiss Maturité, French Baccalauréat or IB; French and bilingual | Kindergarten to 18 | Petit-Lancy |
| Geneva English School | English National Curriculum with strong French | 3–11 | Geneva |
| Lycée international de Ferney-Voltaire | French state curriculum with international language sections | 11–18 | Ferney-Voltaire, France |
Public schools are free and teach in French. School is compulsory for children who turn four by 31 July; primary runs to age 12. Children who don't speak French join a regular class and spend part of the week in a welcome class (classe d'accueil). Ecolint lists fees of CHF 20,000–36,540 a year for 2026–27, plus a CHF 2,500 registration fee and a one-off CHF 4,000 capital fee. Apply early.
Supermarkets and everyday shopping
- Budget: Aldi Suisse, Lidl and Denner.
- Mid-range: Migros and Coop, both with home delivery.
- Premium: Globus and Manor Food.
Many residents also shop in French supermarkets across the border. Goods worth up to CHF 150 per person per day come in free of Swiss VAT; meat, alcohol and tobacco have separate limits, and the federal QuickZoll app lets you declare anything above them.
Geneva's shop hours are set by cantonal law: most shops close at 19:00 on weekdays, 19:30 on Fridays and 18:00 on Saturdays, with one late evening a week until 21:00. On Sundays shops stay closed, apart from two Sundays a year and 31 December, petrol-station shops, small shops run without staff, and businesses serving travellers at the station and airport.
Getting around
Trams, buses and trains within the canton share one fare system (unireso zone 10), with the tpg network at its core. A single ticket costs CHF 3.00 for an hour; an adult pass costs CHF 70 a month or CHF 500 a year. The canton pays for the annual pass of residents under 25 and pays half for pensioners. For trips into France you need a Léman Pass ticket.
The Léman Express, opened in December 2019, links 45 stations over 230 km in Geneva, Vaud and Haute-Savoie, including Annemasse, Thonon, Évian and Annecy, and makes living in France practical without a car. Geneva Airport is 7 minutes by train from Cornavin, with up to seven trains an hour at peak times.
Tax in brief
- Residents: income and wealth tax go to the federal government, the canton and the commune.
- Tax at source: foreign employees without a C permit are taxed through their salary; from CHF 120,000 gross a year you must also file a full return.
- Cross-border workers living in France: Geneva taxes your salary at source. You declare it in France, where a tax credit equal to the French tax prevents double taxation. If at least 90% of your household's worldwide income is taxable in Switzerland, you count as a quasi-resident and can ask each year for a full Geneva assessment with deductions.
- Property: the 1‰ supplementary property tax, wealth tax, imputed rental value until the end of 2028, and property gains tax on sale.
- Special regimes: lump-sum taxation is still available to foreigners who do not work in Switzerland; for 2025 the minimum taxable base was CHF 425,194 for Geneva taxes and CHF 434,700 for federal tax.
Moving here
Living in Geneva. Everyone who settles in the canton must report to the cantonal population office (OCPM) within 14 days. EU and EFTA citizens apply for their permit at this point, before starting work: L for contracts under 12 months, B (five years) for longer ones. Other nationals, including UK citizens since 2021, need an employer-sponsored permit under national quotas (for 2026, 4,500 B and 4,000 L permits, plus a separate UK quota). International organisation staff follow a separate procedure based on the carte de légitimation.
Living in France. EU and EFTA citizens living in the EU or EFTA and working in Switzerland get a G permit, valid five years with an open-ended contract; you must go home at least once a week. Non-EU nationals face different rules, so check with your employer.
Choose your health insurance
Swiss residents must join a Swiss basic insurer within three months, with cover backdated to arrival. Cross-border workers in France have three months to choose between Swiss LAMal and French social security; the choice is final, and if you do nothing you are placed with a Swiss insurer.
Open a bank account
Your salary, rent and deposit account will need one.
Get your debt-collection extract
Once registered, order it from the debt-collection office (Office des poursuites) for your rental applications.
Enrol your children
Contact the school for your address, or the international schools as early as possible.
Questions people ask
Is it worth living in France and commuting?
For many families, yes: rents per m² in Annemasse or Saint-Julien are roughly half Geneva's. Factor in commuting time and costs, schools, and the cross-border tax and insurance rules.
Which health insurance should I choose as a cross-border worker?
You choose between Swiss LAMal and the French system within three months of starting work, and the choice is final. LAMal covers treatment in both countries; under the French system, Swiss care is limited to emergencies. Compare costs for your whole family first.
Can I buy a flat in Geneva?
If you live in Switzerland as an EU or EFTA citizen, or hold a C permit, yes. Other residents can buy their main home. People living abroad cannot, though EU and EFTA cross-border workers may buy a second home near work.
Where do I pay income tax if I live in France and work in Geneva?
In Geneva, through tax at source. You still file a French return, where a tax credit cancels the French tax on that salary.
Do my children need French for a state school?
No. They join a regular class and attend a welcome class part-time until their French is strong enough.
How can I improve my chances with a régie?
Send a complete dossier the day you visit, with salary proof, permit and debt-collection extract. If you have just arrived, a letter from your employer helps.
Rents and prices are asking prices from public reports and portals, checked October 2026. Sources: RealAdvisor, property prices and rents, city of Geneva (apartments); RealAdvisor, 1207 Geneva (Eaux-Vives); RealAdvisor, 1206 Geneva (Champel); RealAdvisor, 1205 Geneva (Plainpalais, Jonction); RealAdvisor, 1201 Geneva (Pâquis); RealAdvisor, 1202 Geneva (Sécheron, Nations); RealAdvisor, 1227 Carouge; RealAdvisor, Le Grand-Saconnex
Rent estimator
A fair range for a long-term rental, from current asking rents per m² in each neighbourhood. Owners can use it too, to price a home before letting it.
Fair rent for this home
Based on current asking rents per m² for long-term lets (see the city guide for sources). Furnished adds about 10%, a terrace about 5%. Actual rents depend on the floor, light, view and building.