Moving to Switzerland from Russia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Russia to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 4.4 times more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,859,336 salary in Russia would need to be roughly CHF169,710 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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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Russia to Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
RUB5,859,336 → CHF169,710
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.3 times more
Groceries
pay 3.3 times more
Transportation
pay 4.8 times more
Housing
pay 4.9 times more
Childcare
pay 6.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.9 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.
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 122% more than cities in Russia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Russia to Switzerland, based on official data.
people moved from Russia to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Russia to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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 Russia 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 Russia 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
Russia 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
Russia 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
Switzerland performs significantly better than Russia across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, 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 | Moscow | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Required
Switzerland passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-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 Russia?
No — Switzerland is on average about 180% more expensive than Russia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CHF42,428 in Switzerland on a RUB5,859,336 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Switzerland has 47.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Switzerland safe for expats?
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 72% of people in Switzerland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Russia?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
