Cross-border guide

Living in Schaan (Liechtenstein) and working in Switzerland: taxed in your state of residence

Schaan is one of Liechtenstein's 11 municipalities: residents who work in Switzerland as genuine daily commuters are taxed exclusively in their state of residence (art. 15 para 4 CH-LI treaty), provided they don't exceed 45 non-return working days per year. Note: this corridor's dominant flow runs the other way — in 2023, 14'891 people commuted Switzerland → Liechtenstein versus 2'426 in this direction (~6.1:1 (CH->LI is the dominant direction)); this guide covers the minority flow, consistent with this site's audience.

Updated:

Population
6,109
Data year
2023
Non-return threshold
45
Customs union since
1923

No — and this matters: in 2023 the dominant flow was the opposite, Switzerland → Liechtenstein (14'891 people versus 2'426, a ratio of ~6.1:1 (CH->LI is the dominant direction)). This guide covers the minority flow because it matches this site’s audience, not because it is the corridor’s majority pattern.

Source: SR 0.672.951.43 (convenzione di doppia imposizione Svizzera-Liechtenstein), art. 15 cpv. 4; Statistisches Jahrbuch 2025.

Useful reading

The calculator implements the Italy-Switzerland cross-border regime (Ticino withholding tax plus Italian IRPEF with its allowance). It does not reproduce the regime described on this page, so its result does not apply to residents here.

Compared with the nearest towns

Within 8.8 km of Schaan there are 6 towns with a page on this site: Vaduz, Eschen, Triesenberg, Mauren, Triesen and Ruggell.

Across this group the population runs from 2,523 (Ruggell) to 6,109 (Schaan).

Schaan sits at 6,109: 7 of 7 counting from the lowest.

Of 8 comparable municipalities, this page ranks 1 on population, at 6,109.

Further down the ranking: Vaduz, Triesen, Balzers, Eschen, Mauren, Triesenberg and Ruggell.

just behind is Vaduz (5,826)

Across the group the highest value is 6,109 (Schaan) and the lowest 2,523 (Ruggell).

Of 8 comparable municipalities, this page ranks 2 on municipal area, at 26.920 km².

Ahead in the ranking, in order: Triesenberg.

Further down the ranking: Triesen, Balzers, Vaduz, Eschen, Mauren and Ruggell.

just ahead is Triesenberg (29.689 km²)

just behind is Triesen (26.484 km²)

Across the group the highest value is 29.689 km² (Triesenberg) and the lowest 7.378 km² (Ruggell).

Of 8 comparable municipalities, this page ranks 5 on municipal-centre elevation, at 462 m.

Ahead in the ranking, in order: Triesenberg, Triesen, Balzers and Mauren.

Further down the ranking: Vaduz, Eschen and Ruggell.

just ahead is Mauren (472 m)

just behind is Vaduz (460 m)

Across the group the highest value is 886 m (Triesenberg) and the lowest 433 m (Ruggell).

Of 8 comparable municipalities, this page ranks 6 on 2020 population density, at 224 people/km².

Ahead in the ranking, in order: Mauren, Eschen, Vaduz, Ruggell and Balzers.

Further down the ranking: Triesen and Triesenberg.

just ahead is Balzers (238 people/km²)

just behind is Triesen (201 people/km²)

Across the group the highest value is 590 people/km² (Mauren) and the lowest 89 people/km² (Triesenberg).

Schaan is in Oberland; the above-floor municipalities in the same region are also Vaduz, Triesen, Balzers and Triesenberg.

The closest above-floor municipality to Schaan is Vaduz; among those compared, the farthest is Ruggell.

Vaduz has a smaller area than Schaan.

Vaduz has higher population density than Schaan.

TownDistance from herePopulationAreaElevationDensity 2020
Schaan (here)—6,10926.920 km²462 m224 people/km²
Vaduz2.9 km5,82617.315 km²460 m332 people/km²
Eschen3.7 km4,60710.381 km²457 m435 people/km²
Triesenberg5.7 km2,67129.689 km²886 m89 people/km²
Mauren6.2 km4,5897.491 km²472 m590 people/km²
Triesen7.4 km5,53226.484 km²512 m201 people/km²
Ruggell8.8 km2,5237.378 km²433 m325 people/km²

Straight-line distances computed from the town-centre coordinates in our dataset. Population, area, elevation and 2020 density from official Liechtenstein municipal data (Amt für Statistik / Amt für Bau und Infrastruktur).

FAQ

The corridor-wide answers are collected on the overview page: Living in Liechtenstein, working in Switzerland

Estimates for guidance only. Always check with a tax adviser or the competent authorities before deciding.