Moving to Switzerland from Sri Lanka
What to Expect
Considering a move from Sri Lanka to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Sri Lanka to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 15.7 times more expensive than Sri Lanka overall. A LKR25,233,221 salary in Sri Lanka would need to be roughly CHF225,089 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°F vs 87°F in Colombo, making it significantly cooler. A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Sri Lanka and Switzerland. What does your salary buy? LKR25,233,221 → CHF225,089 To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland How key spending categories compare Restaurants pay 8.1 times more Groceries pay 3.3 times more Transportation pay 7.5 times more Housing pay 6.5 times more Childcare pay 75.7 times more Entertainment and Sports pay 4.5 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. We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. What the data shows about people moving from Sri Lanka to Switzerland. people moved from Sri Lanka to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available) The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Sri Lanka. per 100,000 people per year per 100,000 people per year Switzerland performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics. 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 Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year Sri Lanka generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths. fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work higher means greater strain on freshwater supply annual consumption — reflects grid capacity share of households with internet Switzerland performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all infrastructure metrics. 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 Sri Lanka generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in unemployment rate. 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 Sri Lanka across all family life metrics. Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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. Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Switzerland Switzerland passport holder visiting Sri Lanka Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. On average Switzerland is around 271% pricier than Sri Lanka, with notable variation by city. Budget about CHF56,272 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a LKR25,233,221 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. 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? Switzerland performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka 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 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67). The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in. The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Colombo Bern Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) View all months
Month Colombo Bern Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) 
National Meteorological Centre, 
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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