Large nomad scene
Good to know
Good to Know
- Zurich has one of Europe's most developed expat infrastructures with multiple established networking organizations and online communities—joining Meetup.com or a Facebook expat group is the fastest path to social connection.
- Coworking spaces are hubs for nomad and entrepreneurial community mixing; many host regular workshops, networking events, and social gatherings beyond just desk rental.
- About 32% of Zurich's local population is non-Swiss, creating a genuinely international environment where many expats live comfortably without fluent German.
- Language exchange and hobby-based meetups (hiking, tech, cooking, board games) are highly effective for meeting fellow nomads and expats with shared interests.
- The nomad/expat scene is mature and well-documented online—abundant real-world advice, support groups, and logistical help available through established communities.
- While formal groups are robust, Swiss social culture can be reserved; consistency and showing genuine interest in relationships is more effective than transient networking.
Community Infrastructure
Established Groups
The Expats Club Zurich (SWISS Welcome)
- Focus
- Multi-national expats
- Frequency
- Regular events
- Description
- Large established expat meetup group with 8900+ members across multiple social platforms
Zurich Together
- Focus
- Social activities, hiking, dining, movie nights
- Frequency
- Multiple weekly events
- Description
- International social media community hosting 10-14 events per week, founded in 2017 with 50,000+ members across social channels
American International Club of Zurich
- Focus
- International professionals of all nationalities
- Frequency
- Regular events
- Description
- Non-political international networking forum founded in 1957
English Speaking Club of Zurich
- Focus
- English-speaking expats
- Frequency
- Regular gatherings
- Description
- Long-established club founded in 1963 for English speakers and language exchange
American Women's Club of Zurich
- Focus
- International women and families
- Frequency
- Regular activities
- Description
- Large community for English speakers of all nationalities, founded nearly 100 years ago
Social Circle Zürich
- Focus
- Social networking and friendship building
- Frequency
- Weekly (every Wednesday)
- Description
- Weekly connection events with 4-6 events per week for newcomers and expats
Indian Association of Greater Zurich
- Focus
- Multi-national community
- Frequency
- Regular events
- Description
- Community-focused group bringing expats and locals together regardless of nationality
Platforms And Online Communities
- Meetup.com - extensive Zurich expat and interest-based groups
- InterNations - online community and in-person events
- Facebook groups: Expats in Zurich, Zurich Expats, Zurich Together, Worldwide People in Zurich
- LinkedIn - professional networking groups including Zurich Networking Group and Expat Network Switzerland
- XING - German-speaking professional platform
- Glocals - expat community platform
- Swiss English Forum
Major Spaces
Impact Hub Zürich
- Location
- Viadukt (District 5)
- Amenities
- Events, workshops, presentations, community app, meeting rooms
- Description
- Global network focused on entrepreneurial communities, 80+ Impact Hubs worldwide
- Membership Note
- Membership-based with free trial day available
Westhive
- Amenities
- Open desks, meeting rooms, fitness center, rooftop terrace, restaurants
- Locations
- Multiple locations (Paradeplatz, Stockerstrasse, Wollishofen, Stettbach)
- Description
- Flexible coworking across Zurich with day passes and various membership options
Kraftwerk
- Location
- District 5
- Amenities
- Meeting rooms, bar, good coffee, office furniture
- Description
- Cafe-style coworking with creative vibe, shipping container aesthetic
Auer & Co
- Location
- District 5
- Amenities
- Meeting rooms, outdoor seating, top-notch coffee
- Description
- Hipster office cafe environment with artsy professionals
Birdhaus
- Location
- Bahnhof Enge area (Hürlimann district)
- Amenities
- Day passes, yoga, meditation classes, vegan catering, wellness events
- Description
- Creative coworking space and club for entrepreneurial women
Office LAB
- Location
- Shopping mall/leisure center
- Amenities
- Meeting rooms, flexible desk spaces, day passes
- Description
- Quirky, funky flexible coworking with community zone
Satellite Office Zürich
- Location
- Limmatquai (city center, near Main Train Station)
- Amenities
- Flexible packages, central location
- Description
- Flexible packages from hourly to annual memberships
Membership Costs
- Flexible Options
- Day passes and flexible monthly memberships available at most spaces
Typical Pricing
- Hot Desk Monthly
- CHF 299
- Note
- Prices vary by location and space; day passes typically available for shorter commitments
Accessibility Notes
Most meetup groups use English as primary language, making integration easy for non-German speakers. Many expats successfully build social circles without fluent German through dedicated networking groups and hobby-based meetups.
Sector Specific Communities
Sector Specific Communities
- Tech community - strong startup and IT professional networking through tech mixers and conferences
- Business professionals - Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce serves as key infrastructure node
- Women entrepreneurs - Birdhaus and American Women's Club
- International families - two large international schools serve as community hubs
- Alumni associations - Harvard, INSEAD, and other international university alumni groups active
Networking Events And Meetups
Regular Recurring
- Digital Nomad Meetup Zurich - scheduled regular meetups for remote workers
- Zurich Tech Mixer and Social - afterwork drinks for tech/IT professionals
- Language exchange meetups - groups like Tandem Zurich and Mundo Lingo
- Beers and Brains events - networking and skill-sharing gatherings
- German Conversation Groups - Zürich German Conversation Group
- Hiking and outdoor meetups - Zurich Run and hiking clubs through Meetup.com
Sample Event Pricing
- Example Zurich Together Event
- CHF 45
Pizza and wine social event
Zurich has 50+ coworking spaces with strong nomad and entrepreneurial community
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this nomad & expat scene density research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Zurich
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.