Moving to Switzerland from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 3.8 times more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR282,923 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly CHF144,558 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 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
SAR282,923 → CHF144,558
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 8.0 times more
Groceries
pay 2.6 times more
Transportation
pay 2.8 times more
Housing
pay 2.8 times more
Childcare
pay 6.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.0 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland, based on official data.
people moved from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Saudi Arabia 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
Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though Saudi Arabia 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
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia leads in top income tax 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 Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Required
Switzerland passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on ArrivalData: 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 Saudi Arabia?
No — Switzerland is on average about 147% more expensive than Saudi Arabia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CHF36,140 in Switzerland on a SAR282,923 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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 performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
