Moving to Switzerland from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 3.0 times more expensive than South Korea overall. A ₩114,697,500 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly CHF135,604 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 South Korea and Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
₩114,697,500 → CHF135,604
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.4 times more
Groceries
pay 50.0% more
Transportation
pay 2.8 times more
Housing
pay 3.1 times more
Childcare
pay 4.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5 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 130% more than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Korea to Switzerland.
people moved from South Korea to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to South Korea.
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 South Korea 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Korea 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 South Korea 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
South Korea 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
South Korea 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 generally does better on family life, though South Korea leads in infant mortality.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting South Korea
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 South Korea?
On average Switzerland is around 125% pricier than South Korea, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Budget about CHF33,901 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a ₩114,697,500 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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 generally does better on safety, though South Korea leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 72% of people in Switzerland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to South Korea?
South Korea 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 25.2 in South Korea. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
