Moving to Switzerland from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 2.5 times more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly CHF159,000 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Zurich averages 55°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, 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 Japan?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.3 times more
Groceries
pay 42.8% more
Transportation
pay 93.9% more
Housing
pay 3.2 times more
Childcare
pay 4.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 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?
¥12,000,000 → CHF159,000
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 135% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Switzerland
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to Switzerland.
people moved from Japan to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan 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
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Japan 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 Japan leads in electricity per capita.
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
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.
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 generally does better on family life, though Japan leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Weather in Switzerland vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Can you move from Japan to Switzerland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting Japan
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 Japan?
On average Switzerland is around 153% pricier than Japan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Budget about CHF39,750 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a ¥12,000,000 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: 47.0 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?
Japan 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 0.2 in Japan. About 72% of people in Switzerland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Japan?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Zurich is 55°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Zurich receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
