Moving to Switzerland from Cuba

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Cuba to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Cuba to Switzerland, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°F vs 84°F in Havana, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Cuba to Switzerland, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
132 ↓ 1% vs 2022

people moved from Cuba 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Cuba to Switzerland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CU
4.4
CH
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CU
5.4
CH
2.4

Switzerland performs significantly better than Cuba across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CU
$2,575
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CU
94.3
CH
44.4

Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CU
31.0
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CU
1.9t
CH
3.7t

Cuba 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

CU
2.9
CH
47.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CU
23.9%
CH
6.5%

Switzerland performs significantly better than Cuba across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CU
1.2%
CH
4.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CU
$12,300
CH
$82,900

Cuba generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CU
79.6 yrs
CH
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CU
4.1
CH
3.6

Switzerland generally does better on family life, though Cuba leads in education spending.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Havana Bern
Jan–Mar 80°/66°F (26°/19°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Havana Bern
Jan 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología, MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cuba 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.

Cuba passport

Cuba passport holder visiting Switzerland

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

Switzerland passport holder visiting Cuba

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

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Switzerland has 47.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Switzerland safe for expats?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Cuba across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.4 in Cuba.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Cuba?

Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in health coverage index. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 94.3 in Cuba. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cuba: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 84°F in Havana. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Havana gets 46.8 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

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

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At a Glance

CU CH
Population 11,008,112 8,508,698
Currency Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages Spanish French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +53 +41
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 106 112