Moving to Switzerland from Norway
What to Expect
Considering a move from Norway to Switzerland? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Norway to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 2.2 times more expensive than Norway overall. A NOK694,005 salary in Norway would need to be roughly CHF90,953 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?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Norway and Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
NOK694,005 → CHF90,953
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 55.0% more
Groceries
pay 39.7% more
Transportation
pay 41.9% more
Housing
pay 38.2% more
Childcare
pay 6.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.9% 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 Norway to Switzerland.
people moved from Norway to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Norway.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Norway 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
Norway performs better than Switzerland across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Norway 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
Norway 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
Norway performs better than Switzerland 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
Norway generally does better on family life, though Switzerland leads in life expectancy.
Data: Norwegian 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 | Oslo | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Oslo | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Norwegian Meteorological Institute,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.
Norway passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting Norway
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 Norway?
On average Switzerland is around 55% pricier than Norway, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Budget about CHF22,738 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a NOK694,005 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?
Norway 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 0.6 in Norway.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Norway?
Norway performs better than Switzerland across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Norway?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
