Zurich to Aarau: tax and costs compared

Moving from Zurich to Aarau: tax and living costs compared

Total tax at eleven household profiles, health insurance premiums and rents, computed from the official Swiss sources for both communes.

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CHF -573Tax difference per year, Married, 2 children, CHF 150,000

CHF -2,903Tax difference per year, Single, CHF 250,000

CHF -43,781Tax difference per year, Single, CHF 1,000,000

CHF 29Median health premium difference per month

How much does tax change when you move from Zurich to Aarau?

At the profile Married, 2 children, CHF 150,000, the official ESTV calculator gives a difference of CHF -573 per year in total tax between Zurich and Aarau for tax year 2026. A negative figure means less tax in Aarau. The table shows every household profile.

Total tax: Zurich and Aarau

Total federal, cantonal and communal income and wealth tax per year in Zurich and in Aarau, tax year 2026, official ESTV calculator, no church tax.

Total tax: Zurich and Aarau
Household profile	Zurich	Aarau	Difference
Single, CHF 100,000	CHF 11,848	CHF 12,312	CHF 464
Single, CHF 250,000	CHF 56,015	CHF 53,112	CHF -2,903
Single, CHF 500,000	CHF 148,516	CHF 131,775	CHF -16,741
Single, CHF 1,000,000	CHF 333,698	CHF 289,917	CHF -43,781
Married, 2 children, CHF 100,000	CHF 4,177	CHF 3,793	CHF -384
Married, 2 children, CHF 150,000	CHF 12,506	CHF 11,933	CHF -573
Married, 2 children, CHF 250,000	CHF 39,534	CHF 38,143	CHF -1,391
Married, 2 children, CHF 500,000	CHF 125,752	CHF 113,612	CHF -12,140
Married, 2 children, CHF 1,000,000	CHF 311,891	CHF 269,906	CHF -41,985
Married, 2 children, CHF 250,000, assets CHF 2,000,000	CHF 45,077	CHF 43,134	CHF -1,943
Married, 2 children, CHF 250,000, assets CHF 10,000,000	CHF 94,507	CHF 68,606	CHF -25,901

Difference = tax in the destination minus tax in the origin. A negative figure means the destination taxes less at that profile. Figures are computed from the official values for each commune, never estimated.

Health premiums and rent: Zurich and Aarau

Health premiums and rent: Zurich and Aarau
Metric	Zurich	Aarau	Difference
Median health premium per month	CHF 570	CHF 599	CHF 29
Average rent per m² per month	21.3	16.7	-4.6

Health premium: median adult premium in the lowest-cost premium region of each canton. Rent: cantonal average net rent per m² per month.

Inheritance, lump-sum taxation and family rules: Zurich and Aarau

Inheritance tax for children, Zurich

Zurich: children are exempt from inheritance tax.
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Inheritance tax for children, Aargau

Aargau exempts children and other descendants from cantonal inheritance tax.
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Inheritance tax for spouses, Zurich

Zurich: the spouse is exempt from inheritance tax.
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Inheritance tax for spouses, Aargau

Aargau exempts spouses and registered partners from inheritance tax.
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Lump-sum taxation, Zurich

Zurich abolished lump-sum (expenditure-based) taxation for cantonal and communal taxes by popular vote on 8 February 2009; federal direct tax still allows it.
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Lump-sum taxation, Aargau

Aargau applies expenditure-based (lump-sum) taxation in place of income and wealth tax.
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Family allowance per child, Zurich

Zurich monthly child allowance per child: CHF 215 up to age 12, 268 over 12.
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Family allowance per child, Aargau

Aargau child allowance is CHF 225 per month and training allowance CHF 278 per month in 2026.
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Cantonal law must set a minimum cantonal residence period of between two and five years.

Naturalisation and living in Zurich · Naturalisation and living in Aargau

Zurich to Aarau: common questions

How much tax does a family save by moving from Zurich to Aarau?

For the profile Married, 2 children, CHF 150,000, the difference in total tax is CHF -573 per year according to the official ESTV calculator. A negative figure means less tax in Aarau.

What changes for a high income moving from Zurich to Aarau?

For the profile Single, CHF 1,000,000, the difference in total tax is CHF -43,781 per year. At higher incomes the marginal rate matters most, and the table shows every profile.

Is this a personal tax calculation?

No. The figures are standard household profiles from the official federal calculator. Your own result depends on your deductions, income type and assets, so use the ESTV calculator with your own figures or speak to a tax adviser before you move.