Moving to Benin from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to Benin — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to Benin. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Cotonou averages 94°F vs 55°F in Zurich, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to Benin.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs better than Benin 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin 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 generally does better on environment, though Benin 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
share of households with internet
Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though Benin leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Benin leads in unemployment 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 performs better than Benin across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this
Weather in Benin vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Cotonou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 99°/85°F (37°/29°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 95°/84°F (35°/29°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 88°/80°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 97°/82°F (36°/28°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Cotonou |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 96°/84°F (35.6°/28.7°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 101°/85°F (38.6°/29.5°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 99°/85°F (37.0°/29.5°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 100°/85°F (37.5°/29.6°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 93°/84°F (34.0°/29.0°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 92°/83°F (33.3°/28.5°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 88°/80°F (31.0°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 87°/80°F (30.4°/26.4°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.5°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 102°/81°F (39.0°/27.2°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 93°/83°F (33.9°/28.2°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 95°/83°F (35.0°/28.4°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN)
Can you move from Switzerland to Benin?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Benin. To live, work, or study long-term in Benin, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Benin's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Benin
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Benin passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Benin?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Benin has 0.3 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 Benin safe for expats?
Switzerland performs better than Benin across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Benin is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Benin compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Benin, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Benin scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Benin compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Cotonou is 94°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Cotonou receives around 51.3 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Benin?
The official language in Benin is French. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
