Moving to Switzerland from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 67.4% more expensive than Iceland overall. A ISK9,423,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly CHF60,506 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 — Bern averages 55°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,423,000 → CHF60,506
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 38.7% more
Groceries
pay 9.0% more
Transportation
pay 24.0% more
Housing
pay 32.4% more
Childcare
pay 4.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.1% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Iceland to Switzerland.
people moved from Iceland to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iceland generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Iceland generally does better on infrastructure, though Switzerland 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
Iceland 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
Iceland performs better than Switzerland across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of Internal Revenue, 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 | Reykjavik | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.
Iceland passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting Iceland
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 Iceland?
Switzerland and Iceland are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Budget about CHF15,126 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a ISK9,423,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Switzerland: 47.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Switzerland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Switzerland safe for expats?
Iceland 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 1.1 in Iceland. About 72% of people in Switzerland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Iceland?
Iceland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in adult obesity rate. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
