Should you move?
For each canton other than yours, we find the cheapest commune, compute your annual tax bill there, and subtract the amortized one-time relocation cost. Net annual saving + payback time. No fluff.
← Enter your profile to rank cantons by net saving
Honest caveats
What this calculator doesn't account for
- Rent / housing cost. Tax-cheapest communes (Walchwil, Wollerau, Zumikon) are also the most expensive to rent in. The tax saving can be entirely consumed by higher rent. Bring rental data into the comparison before deciding.
- Commute time + cost. If your job is in Zürich and you move to Zug to save tax, you've added 30-40 minutes of commute each way + the GA Travelcard. Real cost, real time.
- Pension capital transfer. Moving cantons doesn't touch your LPP — that stays with your employer. But your lump-sum withdrawal tax at retirement is set by your domicile then, so moving later is also valuable.
- Wealth tax. We don't yet model wealth tax, which varies wildly by canton. ZH city has high wealth tax; ZG low. For high-net-worth individuals this matters as much as income tax.
- Social ties. Family, friends, schools, doctors, club memberships. Optiqo doesn't pretend to weigh these. We're showing the tax number; you weight the rest.
The honest framing: this calculator tells you the size of the prize. Whether the prize is worth claiming is your call.
Two more leverages once you've moved
Cantons like Zug, Schwyz, Nidwalden also have lower lump-sum withdrawal tax on pension capital — so moving in your 50s, retiring at 65, then drawing your LPP and 3a balances saves twice. And the LPP buy-in you do in the cheaper canton deducts at the higher rate of the move-year.