Tax comparison
🇨🇭Vaudvs🇨🇭Zurich
At €80,000 gross, the net annual salary is 56,065 CHF in Vaud and 59,672 CHF in Zurich, a gap of 3,607 CHF per year. EXPATRIATION.IO comparison, 2026 tax scales: adjust the gross salary and the household below.
Enter in EUR. Converted to local currency automatically.
Comparing taxes: Vaud and Zurich
Vaud (Swiss canton) and Zurich (Swiss canton) have distinct approaches to taxing employment income. On a gross salary of €80,000, the effective total deduction rate is 25.4% in Vaud compared to 20.6% in Zurich. That translates to a difference of roughly €3,840 per year in favor of Zurich.
In Vaud, federal tax is 786 CHF while cantonal and municipal taxes add 9,929 CHF, with social contributions (AHV, ALV, BVG) totaling 8,372 CHF. In Zurich, federal tax is 786 CHF with cantonal/municipal taxes of 6,322 CHF and social contributions of 8,372 CHF.
The net annual take-home is 56,065 CHF in Vaud and 59,672 CHF in Zurich. These figures assume a single filer with no children or special deductions. Actual results vary based on household composition, deductions, and specific tax credits available in each jurisdiction.
Equivalent gross and tipping point
At €80,000 gross in Vaud, about €74,500 gross is needed in Zurich to reach the same net salary.
Across the €30,000 to €250,000 gross range, Zurich leaves the higher net salary at every level tested.
Detailed comparison at €80,000 gross
| Vaud | Zurich | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross annual salary | 75,152 CHF | 75,152 CHF |
| Income tax (national or federal) | 786 CHF | 786 CHF |
| Cantonal and municipal tax | 9,929 CHF | 6,322 CHF |
| Social contributions | 8,372 CHF | 8,372 CHF |
| Total deductions | 19,087 CHF | 15,480 CHF |
| Net annual salary | 56,065 CHF | 59,672 CHF |
| Net monthly salary | 4,672 CHF | 4,973 CHF |
| Effective deduction rate | 25.4% | 20.6% |
Breakdown of social contributions
Vaud
| AHV/IV/EO (old-age, disability) | 3,983 CHF |
|---|---|
| ALV (unemployment) | 827 CHF |
| BVG/LPP (pension fund) | 2,435 CHF |
| UVG (accident insurance) | 1,127 CHF |
| Total contributions | 8,372 CHF |
Zurich
| AHV/IV/EO (old-age, disability) | 3,983 CHF |
|---|---|
| ALV (unemployment) | 827 CHF |
| BVG/LPP (pension fund) | 2,435 CHF |
| UVG (accident insurance) | 1,127 CHF |
| Total contributions | 8,372 CHF |
Examples at several salary levels
| Gross (EUR) | Rate Vaud | Net Vaud | Rate Zurich | Net Zurich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| €45,000 | 20.0% | €35,988 | 15.3% | €38,120 |
| €80,000 | 25.4% | €59,682 | 20.6% | €63,522 |
| €120,000 | 28.9% | €85,347 | 24.0% | €91,205 |
| €250,000 | 36.5% | €158,839 | 30.8% | €172,994 |
These figures assume a single filer with no children; the tool above lets you adjust the salary and the household configuration (married, 1 to 3 children).
With a married household and two children, at the same €80,000 gross, the net annual salary is 61,108 CHF in Vaud and 65,451 CHF in Zurich, a gap of 4,343 CHF per year.
Sources: estv.admin.ch + cantonal tax administration, tax year 2026
This tool provides estimates based on public datasets. It is not tax advice. Consult a licensed tax advisor or financial professional before making relocation or employment decisions.