Moving to Germany from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Germany? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Germany, you would find that Germany is 40.4% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF62,000 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly €39,800 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Germany cheaper than Switzerland?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 40.1% less
Groceries
pay 32.9% less
Transportation
pay 24.5% less
Housing
pay 46.1% less
Childcare
pay 68.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 41.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Germany?
What does your salary buy?
CHF62,000 → €39,800
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →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 Germany cost about 36% less than cities in Switzerland.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Germany
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Switzerland to Germany.
people moved from Switzerland to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Germany compared to Switzerland.
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 Germany 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
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland performs better than Germany 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
Switzerland performs better than Germany across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Germany 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
Germany generally does better on family life, though Switzerland leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt) (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Germany vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Can you move from Switzerland to Germany?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Free
Germany 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 Germany than Switzerland?
On average Germany is about 40% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
Budget about €9,950 for 3 months in Germany (based on a CHF62,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Germany?
Connectivity is usually fine (Germany: 45.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Germany offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Germany safe for expats?
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland. About 72% of people in Germany feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to Switzerland?
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in adult obesity rate. There are 45.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
