Moving to Switzerland from New York
What to Expect
Considering a move from New York to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New York to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 56.1% more expensive than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly CHF93,772 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New York and Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CHF93,772
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 97.5% more
Groceries
pay 29.9% more
Transportation
pay 81.2% more
Housing
pay 7.0% more
Childcare
pay 42.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.4% 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.
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 39% more than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New York to Switzerland.
people moved from United States to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to New York.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Switzerland performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Switzerland performs significantly better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Switzerland performs significantly better than New York across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Albany | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Albany | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 New York?
On average Switzerland is around 55% pricier than New York, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Budget about CHF23,443 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
From major Switzerland cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New York and Switzerland are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to New York?
Switzerland performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In New York, the official language is English.
