Moving to Switzerland from Benin

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Benin to Switzerland — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Benin to Switzerland.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Benin to Switzerland, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
42 ↓ 19% vs 2022

people moved from Benin to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Switzerland?

Top countries of origin for Switzerland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Benin and Switzerland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BJ
24.8
CH
2.4

Switzerland performs significantly better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BJ
$138
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BJ
2.0
CH
44.4

Benin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BJ
77.0
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BJ
0.5t
CH
3.7t

Benin generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BJ
0.2
CH
47.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BJ
1.0%
CH
6.5%

Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though Benin leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BJ
1.4%
CH
4.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BJ
$3,800
CH
$82,900

Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Benin leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BJ
62.2 yrs
CH
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BJ
55.8
CH
3.6

Switzerland performs significantly better than Benin across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Porto-novo Rain: 47.0 in/yr (1194 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bern Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Porto-novo Bern
Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Porto-novo Bern
Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN), MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Benin and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.

Benin passport

Benin passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Required
Benin passport holders need a visa to enter Switzerland.
Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting Benin

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Switzerland passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Benin.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Switzerland?

With 47.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Switzerland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Benin and Switzerland.

Is Switzerland safe for expats?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Benin?

Benin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 2.0 in Benin. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Benin: 38).

What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Benin?

The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to None°F in Porto-novo. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Porto-novo gets 47.0 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Benin, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BJ CH
Population 13,754,688 8,508,698
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages French French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +229 +41
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112