# Family of 4 in Geneva - Monthly costs and discussion
**URL:** https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355
**Category:** Share your story
**Created:** [January 28, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355 "2025-01-28T19:52:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/1 "2025-01-28T19:52:49Z")
Hi all
This is a post to mostly introduce myself and share my story hoping to get feedback or hear other similar stories.
We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under 3. We moved to Geneva in a rush due to a job opportunity. I am saying this because we rushed to rent an apartment. Also, as expected, we couldn’t get places in public kindergarten so we ended up enrolling our kids to private ones.
I have been mind blown from the expenses a family with young kids can have. Some context:
- 32M, 31F, EU nationals, 2 kids under 3yo
- combined gross annual income 185k
- tenants in Switzerland
- 60m2 Apartment owners abroad (rental income is 15k per year)
We don’t spend much and we don’t do fancy things or eat out often.
We have been struggling to save more than 2k per month. We invest via IBKR into VT but FIRE seems an untouchable dream.
Anyone that has been in a similar position? Looking to have a discussion with people with families to understand if we are doing something wrong. Apart from rent reduction all other costs are very fixed.
We are renting a 100m2 with 3 bedrooms for 4k. We are almost at the French border and not even downtown Geneva. The prices are insane. Before we were in a 60m2 but abroad.
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### Author:  [@dom.swiss](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/dom.swiss)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/2 "2025-01-28T20:14:15Z")
> [@Makis4321](#):
>
> The prices are insane
2018, we left a nice 85m2 apartment in Zurich for 2500.- Returning from EU in 2022, we had to rush and all we could find was an 85 m2 appartment for 3000.- Crazy.
> [@Makis4321](#):
>
> Looking to have a discussion with people with families to understand if we are doing something wrong.
Are you willing to do some hard things to help with FIRE? There are budgets for all kind of incomes for families with 2 kids.
[https://conseil-budgetaire.ch/dienstleistungen/budgetbeispiele](https://conseil-budgetaire.ch/dienstleistungen/budgetbeispiele)
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### Author:  [@inchms](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/inchms)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 8:20pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/3 "2025-01-28T20:20:21Z")
How long have you been living in Geneva? If both of you are working, there is a good chance you could secure a spot in public daycare during the next assignment cycle or by summertime?
In my opinion, the two major expenses that could be optimized - potentially saving 2K to 2.5K CHF per month - are the apartment and private daycare.
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### Author:  [@noname](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/noname)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 8:51pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/4 "2025-01-28T20:51:38Z")
As it was mentioned 4k sounds like a lot for the apartment unless it is sub-rent and it was furnished or it is very nice apartment. But finding cheap apartment is always a challenge in GE.
With regards to childcare it depends a lot on the commune, some communes have more public childcare than others but still people are getting registered often before the kid was born to get higher chances… Here [Liste des structures d'accueil petite enfance | ge.ch](https://www.ge.ch/document/liste-structures-accueil-petite-enfance) you can find list of both private and public childcare in GE by commune.
There is one alternative option called “maman de jour” which is usually cheaper than private childcare but personally I never tried this, only heard stories from people who were lucky or unlucky with a specific person.
The good news that you will be able to deduct the childcare costs from the income which should reduce taxes quite significantly. Also school starts when the kids 4y and then childcare costs are reduced (you will still need something for Wednesday and after school).
2k/months are quite decent savings, don’t be too disappointed there, especially if you just recently arrived to Switzerland. My advice for you would be to focus more on growing your income.
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### Author:  [@dbu](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/dbu)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/5 "2025-01-28T21:10:10Z")
> [@dom.swiss](#):
>
> 2022, we had to rush and all we could find was an 85 m2 appartment for 3000
Try to find that below 3500 now (that is in a good location and condition). 😅
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### Author:  [@FunnyDjo](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/FunnyDjo)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/6 "2025-01-28T21:12:54Z")
Hello,
Thank you for sharing.
I have only one toddler and we are lucky to land a public daycare spot but you can secure them only if your partner is also working.
Other possibility could be an official maman de jour at 2900 chf/ month / child or private school at 3 y.o. around 1500 chf / months.
I am also looking for a flat and i think you could land a flat for 3300 chf by month. You should avoid relocation agency and can try to search directly on the regie website,
Will your wife be employable in the area?
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### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/7 "2025-01-28T21:39:32Z")
I am and thanks for the nice link. However, Garde d’enfants is listed like 1300 per month which simply cannot be true in most cases.
For rent, we are between Meyrin and Satingy (the furthest from the center) and prices are still crazy in GE. 2004 building. No fancy things. A simple apartment with a box and cave included.
> **[EB\_couple\_avec\_2\_enfants.pdf](https://conseil-budgetaire.ch/fileadmin/budgetberatung.ch/Downloads/FR/RL_WZ/EB_couple_avec_2_enfants.pdf)**
>
> 382.24 KB
Other than that, I guess things will become better at 4yo (school age).
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### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/8 "2025-01-28T21:40:58Z")
Hi thanks. We have been in the area 9y but living officially in GE for 1y now.
Rent can be reduced I agree but very hard to find something convenient and below 4k (3 bedrooms or more than 80m2).
Childcare: 1y in the waiting list and no news. We are in private one now. And it hurts.
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### Author:  [@Quack](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Quack)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/9 "2025-01-28T21:51:22Z")
you guys have public daycares?
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### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/10 "2025-01-29T07:12:04Z")
Hi thanks for sharing.
We have been both working since day 1 but never got places in public daycare in our commune. 1y in the waiting list.
I guess we can only wait until 4yo when primary school starts to be able to save a bit more.
3000-3300 for a 2 bedrooms flat is possible indeed. We tried this (in a 60m2) flat but space was limited after having the second toddler.
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### Author:  [@nabalzbhf](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/nabalzbhf)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 8:33am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/11 "2025-01-29T08:33:21Z")
> [@Makis4321](#):
>
> combined gross annual income 185k
That seems low if both are working: [page salaires - FER Genève](https://www.fer-ge.ch/web/fer-ge/w/salaire-m%C3%A9dian)
I’d expect people coming from abroad to be working for more qualified positions. Are you sure you’re not underpaid? (As others said focusing on income might make sense, childcare is very expensive and only worth it when both parents work with good salary)
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### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 9:30am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/12 "2025-01-29T09:30:01Z")
Hi thanks. We might be underpaid given that we have both a PhD in Engineering and myself I got it from EPFL.
I have considered job hopping but I don’t like to have to prove myself from scratch again every let’s say 1-2 years especially now with kids, stability is very important.
But I have been thinking about trying to find a new job with higher salary.
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### Author:  [@FunnyDjo](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/FunnyDjo)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 10:03am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/13 "2025-01-29T10:03:40Z")
Except a big luck in the housing market or working for a Regie there is no magic optimisation.
The better option is to land a better paying job if possible.
Job market is complicated at the moment but you can still browse offers.
The good news is that the difficult years should be over after daycare.
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### Author:  [@dom.swiss](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/dom.swiss)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/14 "2025-01-29T14:19:15Z")
> [@Makis4321](#):
>
> We have been in the area 9y but living officially in GE for 1y now
I was going to suggest to check out the neighbouring French communities that have a special tax regime for people working in Switzerland. Rent should be cheaper there, as well as child daycare and later public French schools should be ok for primary level. But maybe you have specific reasons to live in CH-GE and have already decided against living in France.
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### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/15 "2025-01-29T16:37:55Z")
I share the same thoughts!
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### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 4:39pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/16 "2025-01-29T16:39:42Z")
I have lived in Pays de Gex in the past and have been a frontalier.
We moved to Geneva to provide better quality of live and school infrastructure to our kids. Our rent doubled but we had to pay the price.
Neighboring France is ok but quality of people, life and daycare/school is very bad. Can’t compare to the Swiss side.
Let alone the pilles of trash bags left in front of the trash bins (because you have to scan and open and pay 1€ per scan). Can’t go back to this 🙂
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### Author:  [@FunnyDjo](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/FunnyDjo)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/17 "2025-01-29T17:26:57Z")
Also being a Swiss resident should boost your employability.
Some employers will look only at Swiss resident with 3+ years as a condition (private banking, public sectors, administration…)
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### Author:  [@Makis4321](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Makis4321)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/18 "2025-01-29T17:57:00Z")
Good point, never thought about this.
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### Author:  [@Eluc](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Eluc)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 4:14pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/19 "2025-01-31T16:14:58Z")
Also EPFL Engineer. Worked 8 years in Geneva area but when we had kids, we struggled to find a decent (not even good) appartment for less than 3.5-4k. One was exactly was we would need, 3 bedrooms with garden, 100m2, even if it was in Satigny, way outside the center, it was 4k + side cost + 2x250frs of mandatrory parking space. Completely insane.
And even, not so nice appartment, were 3k+ and 20-30 people were trying to get it. No chance.
We left Geneva, left Romandie. Found the exact same ground floor, brand new 105m2 3 bedroom (4.5) appartement with private garden for 2k with indoor parking and side charges. I also got a better job and higher salary, and pay less taxes.
Now after 5 years we want to go back to Romandie, and it’s very, very hard financially.
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### Author:  [@Guillaume\_GVA](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Guillaume_GVA)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/family-of-4-in-geneva-monthly-costs-and-discussion/15355/20 "2025-01-31T18:16:38Z")
> [@Eluc](#):
>
> We left Geneva, left Romandie. Found the exact same ground floor, brand new 105m2 3 bedroom (4.5) appartement with private garden for 2k with indoor parking and side charges. I also got a better job and higher salary, and pay less taxes.
Could you give more context? In which city did you move? In which city do you work? What’s your professionnel field?
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