Moving to Switzerland from Kazakhstan

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Kazakhstan to Switzerland? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Kazakhstan to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 5.8 times more expensive than Kazakhstan overall. A KZT36,670,315 salary in Kazakhstan would need to be roughly CHF222,537 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 46°F in Astana, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kazakhstan and Switzerland.

What does your salary buy?

KZT36,670,315 CHF222,537

To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 6.0 times more

Groceries

pay 4.5 times more

Transportation

pay 5.5 times more

Housing

pay 5.4 times more

Childcare

pay 11.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 5.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 KZT = 0.0016 CHF (June 2026)

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 Kazakhstan to Switzerland.

Moved in 2023
180 ↑ 12% vs 2022

people moved from Kazakhstan 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

The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Kazakhstan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KZ
2.6
CH
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KZ
12.2
CH
2.4

Switzerland performs significantly better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KZ
$1,460
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

KZ
40.3
CH
44.4

Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kazakhstan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KZ
68.0
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KZ
12.6t
CH
3.7t

Switzerland performs significantly better than Kazakhstan across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KZ
14.9
CH
47.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KZ
34.1%
CH
6.5%

Switzerland performs significantly better than Kazakhstan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KZ
4.8%
CH
4.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KZ
$35,500
CH
$82,900

Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Kazakhstan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KZ
72.5 yrs
CH
83.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KZ
19.2
CH
3.6

Switzerland performs significantly better than Kazakhstan across all family life metrics.

Data: Tax Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Astana Rain: 12.5 in/yr (318 mm)
46° / 25°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Astana Bern
Jan–Mar 15°/-4°F (-10°/-20°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/41°F (18°/5°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 30°/13°F (-1°/-11°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Astana Bern
Jan /-8°F (-12.6°/-22.0°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 12°/-7°F (-11.3°/-21.8°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 23°/4°F (-5.0°/-15.6°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.4°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 67°/42°F (19.6°/5.8°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 78°/52°F (25.3°/11.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 81°/56°F (27.0°/13.4°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 65°/41°F (18.6°/5.1°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 47°/28°F (8.5°/-2.1°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.2°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 15°/-2°F (-9.7°/-18.9°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kazakhstan 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.

Kazakhstan passport

Kazakhstan passport holder visiting Switzerland

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

Switzerland passport holder visiting Kazakhstan

Visa Free
Switzerland passport holders can enter Kazakhstan without a visa.

Data: 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 Kazakhstan?

On average Switzerland is around 272% pricier than Kazakhstan, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?

Budget about CHF55,634 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a KZT36,670,315 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Kazakhstan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.6 in Kazakhstan.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Kazakhstan?

Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kazakhstan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 40.3 in Kazakhstan. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kazakhstan: 80).

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

The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 46°F in Astana. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Astana gets 12.5 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Kazakhstan, the official languages are Kazakh and Russian.

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At a Glance

KZ CH
Population 19,398,331 8,508,698
Currency Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages Kazakh, Russian French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +7 +41
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 112