keep in mind the lease will cost you around 500 for a very small car. Depends on what kind of small car are going to to take! contract duration, downpayment, number of kilometers you are going to use every year. 

Fuel cost! somewhere in between 500 chf if you are going to travel on every weekend and normal day to day use,! As the car is leased you need a complete insurance and it will also cost your around 2000chf minimum if you are lucky enough to get a good deal! Later on lets come to tax somewhere in between 400 to 900 chf a year! Parking cost! it can cost you somewhere 120 to 200 chf a month. Don't forget! there is always something to repair with car even if it is new! you never know! 

Now it depends on what kind of travel style are you looking for! if it is simpe and most of the time you are going to travel to the famous and well known destinations(this is what 90% people do!)! car doesn't make a sense! if you looking for a seroius expeditions and travel to remote areas! Car makes sense! but small car has its own limits!

I would suggest! come to geneva! take a monthly pass! (day pass is also a good idea!"cost around 40CHF") do some travel! See if you really need a car! 

We consider Geneva is the most car unfriendly city in Europe and a right pain in the proverbial. Rush hour from our area starts well before 06.00 - crossing the one and only bridge is a nightmare. Go for the half-fare option is our recommendation.

I don't know about the bottom line, lots of variables to consider here. 

But keep in mind public transport here ain't cheap. For example, Geneva to Zurich, which is around 3 hours away, will set you back nearly CHF 200 for 2 people, even with Demi-tarif. If you plan to go away for similar distances 2-3 weekends each month, you're looking at CHF 500-600 right there. 

Thanks all for the inputs.

@Nir - these were my thoughts as well. I guess we'll get there and see what works best. If a car lease works at roughly 1000CHF per months (all additional costs included) I guess renting for 48 hours might be the better option if you are only planning of using it on weekends.

If you need a car only during weekends, using car sharing (Mobility) might be the best idea.

We have lived here without a car for over a year, and travelled a lot on the weekends. The trains are great, and we think the fare is reasonable with the half fare card.  a few times we have rented a car when we wanted flexibility to see more along the way, or take it slowly and explore the countryside. Wit comparing  the cost of parking, lease, insurance, vignette, petrol, maintenance, winter tyres etc, you can rent a car several times and still come out ahead! Mobility is good for short trips, but not for longer ones or weekends away.

A couple of other issues to consider:

Have you already found accommodation?  If not, maybe you’ll need a car to get to work.  If you have found housing and will be able to commute on public transport, leasing a car will bring the hassle of parking a vehicle you only use at the weekends.

Taking trips outside CH will often mean an overnight stay, so more financial outlay.

And lastly, what makes you so sure that you’ll be in sufficiently good form as to go touring every weekend?  Working in Geneva isn’t a sinecure and you may well need your precious weekends to rest up in time for the following Monday’s fray.

R.

Helpful breakdown, thanks!

i agree 100% about the feeling of freedom that having a car gives. Even when I don't use the car, just knowing its there makes a difference to me.

Let’s face it, from Geneva we can get to many places by public transport but not always that easily and when it’s convenient for us.  Medical and allied appointments for instance, or invitations to visit friends who live in the country or across the border, even shopping.

It’s better to decide after you’ve moved into or near Geneva and had a chance to weigh the pros and cons of having a car.

It is difficult to answer that question because it really depends on:

- Where do you like to go
- How many kms do you like to drive
- What kind of car are you talking about
- What kind of fuel (regular fuel or diesel)?
- What is your lifestyle?
- Whether you don't mind depending on train schedules.

and a lot of other variables.  

I'm sorry to hear you live in Geneva, but the cost of a lease will depend mainly on the purchase price of the car, and the interest rate you are getting (which is not disclosed in CH).  The purchase price you can negotiate or you can find through your job if there are lease / purchase incentives.  Now you also need to take into account the number of Kms you drive as you are restricted with a lease.  Some companies allow 20,000kms per year, and some others allow up to 30,000kms per year.  Every km on top of that has an extra cost per km.  The insurance on a lease has to be full coverage, and depending on what car you get and what insurer you use, could be from 1,500 chf per year or more.  If you lease a car, get one with an energy rating of A, because that would mean you won't pay registration taxes for the first 2 years of the lease.  If you plan to drive long distances, you should get a diesel.  My car gets me 1000 kms per tank, compared to 300 kms on regular fuel.... but again, that depends on what car you get... if its a 4, 5, 6, or god forbid...8+ cylinders.

Anyway, there are so many variables to consider and I think it all boils down to personal choice.  I personally hate driving in Geneva, and I hear parking is horrible if you live there.  But then there's nothing more awesome than the freedom of being able to go anywhere you want whenever you want (and not when SBB wants).  So there are also some non-financial variables to consider.  On a personal note, I chose to lease my car, and I'm happy I did.  You would have to pry the keys out of my dead cold hands!!

By the way, I recently read that SBB plans to increase rail ticket prices by 3% at the end of 2014.  So the train option is quite expensive as well.

Thanks to everyone for their replies, all useful information. Will probably look to buy a car rather than lease in a couple of months time.

Thank you Valeria for the detailed breakdown on your current costs.