You're monthly costs for two people will be between 4000-5000 francs per month including housing and insurance. If you ski or travel, you will want to budget another 1000 per month. If you live like a mouse, then you could do slightly better. You'll need at least 70000 after tax to get some savings. You will be put into the Swiss pension fund which is not great, but is secure.

PsyGuy has the numbers right for IS schools.

If you are interested in Swiss financial information, check out www.comparis.ch. It's a great website that compares ALL aspects of cost of living throughout the country. Just remember to hit the English tab at the top. You'll lose up to 20% to taxes and unemployment and another 350CHF per adult per month to Health insurance. Rent and food is very expensive. You would be hard pressed to save much on a salary of 80k, but you would be very happy with a salary of 100k.

It's easy to spend money in Switzerland, there is a lot to do.

My first year out I just filed normally but added the foreign tax exclusion since the taxes in the county I worked in were higher than in the US. You can also get money back from your move. Don't forget to do your state taxes. After that I was Bona Fide, now I file the foreign earned income exclusion which is S97500 for 2013. If you're lucky to be over that number, then tack on the housing deduction based on where you live. The form 2555 is pretty easy. I do all my US investments as usual and I no longer file state. Good luck.

PS after doing taxes in 3 different countries since then, all I can say about the IRS is "Wow, wtf"

I think there are two ways to look at a school's ranking. One is from the perspective of the student and the other is from that of the teacher. A tier one school satisfactorily assists both groups in their educational endeavors. For students, are there enough qualified teachers, is the work of a rigorous level, do they have access to good resources, are they challenged, and ultimately, is the school offering them a means to their personal ends? If the answer there is yes, then it's a tier one school.

From a teacher's perspective, defining a tier one school is a personal issue. For me, a tier one school is stable, funded, and gives teachers the right tools to succeed. It also has motivated students and an administration that is fair. I think that a quality school includes financial and post-graduate benefits for its employees. As professionals, we should get treated and paid our worth. We need to live comfortably with an eye towards our own future. As international teachers, the onus is on us to fund our own retirements. There is also a standard of living that one desires. This is where a tier one school's location is important. Do I want a city with a pension scheme? Do I want to live in an unstable country which poses a danger to me and my family? Do I want to have legal recourse if I suffer a grievance? Would I like access to quality medical care? Do I want to live on a compound? Do I want to live a city life? Will I earn enough for a family? Will my students be teachable? Can I retire? This list will go on and on.

I look at the tier system as that of odds. When people speak of tiered one or two schools, what I hear are the odds that if I worked there, I would be happy. But the data comes from hearsay and scores on tests students take their last year. I encourage any teacher to list their priorities for their lives. If a school and location meets many of these, then you've landed in a tier one.

Back to negotiating. I think that any teacher who is in a high-demand field can and should negotiate their worth. I have known math teachers, science teachers and yes, even PE teachers who happened to be in demand at the time of their hiring and could negotiate terms. Unfortunately, it is harder to negotiate salary than it is to negotiate benefits. For instance, instead of getting a $2000 increase, I negotiated for an extra trip back home to the USA and I got extra professional development funds to take my Master’s courses in lieu of monies.

When I look for my next job in the winter, I will try to get a few extras. Because of the uncertainty of the economy, it is a hirer’s market and us worker bees are a dime a dozen, so I may have to settle on the next contract just to have a good job.

I think a lower tier school would hire you both. Math and then English across the board are a powerful combo. If your goal is to get work anywhere and then move on to a better school, in my opinion, you can do that. You may not like the first school however.

Good luck!!!

After living abroad for a while, I'd like to add to Open Communication's list.

1. Bedding!!!! I really appreciate a good set of sheets (high thread count), bed pad and egg crates for the bed. I bought queen size and this makes a hard Asian bed into a nice comfey one.

2. Bathroom items. If you have a favorite brand, buy a six month supply.

3. For me the most important, FOOD!! You will at times crave a certain cuisine or food you can't find at a resaurant. No matter where in the world you end up, you will have access to most of the raw ingredients that you will need to make ANY food you want. I highly recommend to anyone that they learn how to cook their favorite foods from scratch. For instance, I now make from scratch the following; Cakes, Pies, Pastas, Pizzas, Mexican Tortillas, Peanut Butter, Sauces, BBQ, Salsas, Great Salads, Beer, and Sausage for starters. Before I came on the circuit I ate out all the time and could barely fry an egg. Now I have learned to cook what I really enjoy and it is just as good and much cheaper than dining out.

4. A sense of humor!! Things will go wrong, people will try to scam you, you may not get your way. Take it all in stride and laugh whenever you can. You will have a much better experience if you can smile.

Good luck to all you new international teachers out there.