Moving to Switzerland from Denmark
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Denmark to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Denmark to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 81.2% more expensive than Denmark overall. A DKK484,582 salary in Denmark would need to be roughly CHF88,014 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Denmark to Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
DKK484,582 → CHF88,014
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 44.0% more
Groceries
pay 38.1% more
Transportation
pay 23.3% more
Housing
pay 57.3% more
Childcare
pay 4.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.2% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Switzerland
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Denmark to Switzerland, based on official data.
people moved from Denmark to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Denmark to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Denmark generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Denmark 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 Denmark 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
Switzerland performs significantly better than Denmark across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Switzerland performs significantly better than Denmark across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Denmark generally does better on family life, though Switzerland leads in life expectancy.
Data: Danish Central Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Copenhagen | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 58°/44°F (15°/7°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/53°F (19°/12°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/37°F (8°/3°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Copenhagen | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Danish Meteorological Institute,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Denmark 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.
Denmark passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting Denmark
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 Denmark?
No — Switzerland is on average about 47% more expensive than Denmark. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CHF22,004 in Switzerland on a DKK484,582 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
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?
Denmark generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Denmark.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Denmark?
Denmark 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 43.8 in Denmark. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Denmark: 82).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Denmark?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 52°F in Copenhagen. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Copenhagen gets 20.7 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Denmark, the official language is Danish.
