Moving to Switzerland from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Switzerland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 4.0 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly CHF246,000 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Zurich averages 55°F vs 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Switzerland cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 7.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.5 times more
Transportation
pay 3.0 times more
Housing
pay 5.9 times more
Childcare
pay 3.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.3 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Switzerland?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → CHF246,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Switzerland cost about 194% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Switzerland, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from China to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Switzerland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Switzerland performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Switzerland vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Can you move from China to Switzerland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Required
Switzerland passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Switzerland than China?
Day-to-day costs in Switzerland run about 298% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around CHF61,500 in Switzerland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
With 47.0 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 China and Switzerland.
Is Switzerland safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 72% of people in Switzerland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 31.1 in China. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to China?
The average high temperature in Zurich is 55°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Zurich receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In China, the official language is Chinese.
