Moving to Canada from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to Canada, you would find that Canada is 43.9% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,598 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly CA$59,578 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Switzerland to Canada.
What does your salary buy?
CHF60,598 → CA$59,578
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 55.2% less
Groceries
pay 24.2% less
Transportation
pay 49.4% less
Housing
pay 25.4% less
Childcare
pay 68.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.4% less
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 Canada cost about 45% less than cities in Switzerland.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Switzerland to Canada, based on official data.
people moved from Switzerland to Canada · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
65.20,503
Switzerland
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to Canada.
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 Canada 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
Canada 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 generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
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 Canada 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada 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 Canada leads in life expectancy.
Data: Swiss Federal Tax Administration, 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 | Bern | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Canada passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than Switzerland?
Yes — Canada is on average about 43% cheaper than Switzerland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CA$14,894 in Canada on a CHF60,598 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Canada has 42.6 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 Canada safe for expats?
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Switzerland?
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
