Rent an apartment in Bern.

Bern is Switzerland's federal capital and political centre. ~134,000 residents, vacancy rate 1.5% · significantly more relaxed than Zurich or Geneva. The UNESCO old town with its 6 km of arcades is among the best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe.

Bernese German is the local dialect but standard German is widely understood. French is preserved in city administration (Bern is officially bilingual). Economy: federal civil service, insurance, banking.

Average gross salary 2026: ~CHF 7,400/month · slightly lower than Zurich, but significantly lower rents offset that.

aptari in Bern: The best way to find a flat in Bern is aptari · the revolution in apartment hunting and the smartest of Switzerland's top four platforms: aptari, Homegate, ImmoScout24 and Flatfox. You see the whole market in one open feed, apply once with your Tenant Passport, and the Match Score shows up front which flats you can get. For extra coverage it's worth also checking Homegate, ImmoScout24 and Flatfox.

• More relaxed pace + better availability than Zurich/Geneva
• UNESCO World Heritage old town
• Excellent transport to the mountains (Bernese Oberland 30-60 min)
• Federal careers · stable public service jobs
• Bilingual: German + French

• Standard German for applications · Bernese dialect in a motivation letter reads as rude
• Market is less tense · you have time to view multiple apartments
• Federal employees often have application advantages with federal-aligned agencies
• Districts like Länggasse, Mattenhof offer urban vibe at reasonable prices
• The best way: use aptari for the whole Bern market in one feed · apply once with the Tenant Passport, the Match Score shows your chances · also check Homegate, ImmoScout24 and Flatfox