Why More Expats Are Choosing Ticino Over Zurich, Vaud and Zug in 2025

In the world of international relocation, some Swiss cantons have long dominated the conversation. Zurich, with its global finance institutions and career opportunities, remains a magnet for professionals. Zug has built a name for itself as a corporate tax haven, particularly for international companies and holding structures. And in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, Vaud and Geneva continue to attract families and executives looking for international prestige, diplomatic networks, and cultural proximity to France.

But in 2025, a quiet shift is underway.

An increasing number of expats, HNWI families, and entrepreneurs are turning their attention to a region that, for many years, has flown just under the radar: Ticino. Nestled between the Swiss Alps and the Italian border, Ticino is emerging as one of the most compelling — and strategic — choices for those looking to relocate to Switzerland in a meaningful, well-structured and sustainable way.

This is not a trend driven only by lifestyle or scenery. It’s a structural change in the way people are assessing Swiss relocation — and Ticino is rapidly becoming a top-tier alternative to Zurich, Zug, Vaud and Geneva for a wide range of profiles: from international investors to family office principals, from tech entrepreneurs to families seeking stability, security and beauty without sacrificing convenience or sophistication.

The Strategic Appeal of Ticino in 2025

Ticino offers a very particular kind of value. While Zurich might still lead when it comes to sheer volume of financial institutions, and Geneva can claim the headquarters of major global organisations, Ticino provides something increasingly rare: a combination of quality of life, institutional clarity, and human-scale infrastructure.

It’s a place where decisions are made faster, access to professionals is more direct, and the relocation process — from residence permits to real estate, from school admissions to tax negotiations — often moves with a level of efficiency and discretion that is hard to match elsewhere.

Many of our clients tell us they were initially looking at Zurich or Zug, drawn by the perceived advantages of established ecosystems or low cantonal taxes. Others were seduced by the French-speaking cantons’ international atmosphere. But once they experienced Lugano — Ticino’s beating heart — they were surprised to find a unique blend of factors that made their final decision easy.

Cost, Quality and Lifestyle: A Different Swiss Balance

Switzerland is not known for being cheap, and that’s part of its value proposition. But not all cantons are created equal when it comes to the cost-quality ratio. In Zurich and Geneva, the cost of living — particularly real estate, private schooling, and day-to-day services — can be significantly higher than most newcomers anticipate. Zug, despite its low corporate tax rates, often lacks the infrastructure and cultural life that many families and private clients seek. It can feel, to some, like a business park masquerading as a city.

Ticino, by contrast, manages to strike a rare balance. Lugano, Locarno, and Ascona offer access to luxury real estate, top-tier international schools, and a relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle — all at a more reasonable cost than Zurich or Geneva. And unlike Zug, these cities come with a soul. You don’t feel like a visitor in your own neighbourhood. You feel at home.

This matters, especially for expats relocating not only for business, but for long-term life decisions. Ticino’s combination of affordability and elegance, proximity to Milan and northern Italy, and integration into the Swiss system offers something uniquely compelling — particularly for those coming from countries like Italy, France, Germany, the UK, or the Middle East.

Flat Tax in Ticino: Efficiency with a Human Touch

One of the main drivers behind Switzerland’s appeal for international clients remains its fiscal environment, and in particular, the lump-sum taxation regime available to foreign nationals without gainful employment. While this flat tax regime is available in several cantons — including Zurich, Zug, Vaud, and Geneva — the way it is applied can vary significantly.

In Ticino, the system works not only because the rules are clear, but because the people implementing them are approachable. Cantonal tax authorities in Lugano are known for their transparency, responsiveness, and willingness to engage in direct dialogue — particularly when a trusted local advisor is guiding the process.

Compared to Geneva, where the process can feel more bureaucratic, or Zurich, where negotiations often involve layers of complexity, Ticino offers a faster, more personal path. The process is predictable, the timelines are shorter, and the outcomes tend to favour those who approach the system with clarity and structure.

For families with cross-border income, international assets, or even digital wealth — such as crypto holdings, private equity structures, or international trusts — Ticino is rapidly becoming one of the most flexible and intelligent jurisdictions in Switzerland to establish residence and build a long-term strategy.

Lugano and the Rise of the New Swiss Fintech & Private Client Hub

What surprises many who visit Ticino for the first time is the degree to which Lugano is becoming a serious player in the world of private banking, family office services, and digital finance.

Over the past few years, initiatives like Plan ₿ have brought global attention to the region’s role in the blockchain economy, with Lugano now considered one of the most progressive Swiss cities when it comes to crypto regulation, education, and institutional adoption. But this is not a local-only initiative — it is embedded in the city’s broader ambition to become a centre of excellence for new forms of wealth and innovation.

What’s more, the professional ecosystem in Lugano is evolving fast. A growing number of wealth managers, legal advisors, tax experts, and entrepreneurs are choosing to base themselves here — not just because of the fiscal incentives, but because it offers a better quality of professional life. Meetings happen face to face. Decisions move quickly. Collaboration feels natural. The impersonal structures of Zurich or Geneva are replaced here with actual relationships.

Ticino's Human Dimension: Where the Culture Truly Counts

Among all the technical advantages that Ticino can offer — from residence permits to tax planning — perhaps the most powerful is the emotional factor. Ticino is a place where expats feel not only safe and well-served, but welcomed. The Italian language, the Mediterranean rhythm, and the warmth of daily life combine with the Swiss structure, efficiency, and rule of law to create something truly rare.

You’ll hear Italian in the cafés and piazzas, but you’ll get Swiss-quality service. Bureaucracy exists, but it’s human. Procedures are clear, but not inflexible. There is a rhythm to life in Lugano that appeals especially to those who have experienced the extremes — whether the hyper-efficiency of Zurich or the institutional inertia of some French-speaking cantons.

This is not a copy-paste lifestyle model. It is a lived, organic environment — one that invites integration and makes it easy to feel at home.

Is Ticino the Right Choice for You?

Choosing a base in Switzerland is never just about taxes or logistics. It’s about how a place makes you feel, how easily you can build your life, how naturally you can access the resources and people that matter to you.

If you are comparing options — Zurich, Zug, Vaud, Geneva — we encourage you to take a closer look at Ticino. You may find that what seemed like a second-tier option is actually a first-class opportunity, especially when supported by professionals who live and breathe the territory every day.

At Knotted, we’ve helped dozens of expats and families move to Ticino — from selecting the right residence permit to structuring flat tax agreements, purchasing real estate, enrolling children in private schools, opening Swiss bank accounts, and designing cross-border wealth strategies tailored to their life goals.

We don’t just understand the process — we live it, every single day.

Let’s talk about your future in Ticino

Whether you're just beginning to explore your Swiss options or ready to make your move, your new life in Ticino can start with a single, clear conversation.

📩 info@knotted.ch

📱 WhatsApp: +41 76 771 30 22

Ticino is more than a destination. For the right people, in the right hands, it’s the start of something lasting.