Moving to Guinea-Bissau from Switzerland

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Switzerland to Guinea-Bissau? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Switzerland to Guinea-Bissau, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bissau averages 90°F vs 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Guinea-Bissau compared to Switzerland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CH
0.5
GW
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CH
2.4
GW
30.5

Switzerland performs better than Guinea-Bissau across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CH
$10,602
GW
$247
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CH
44.4
GW
2.1

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CH
10.0
GW
89.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CH
3.7t
GW
0.2t

Switzerland generally does better on environment, though Guinea-Bissau leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CH
47.1
GW
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CH
6.5%
GW
1.5%

Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though Guinea-Bissau leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CH
4.0%
GW
3.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CH
$82,900
GW
$2,400

Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Guinea-Bissau leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CH
83.2 yrs
GW
63.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CH
3.6
GW
49.0

Switzerland performs better than Guinea-Bissau across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bern Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bissau Rain: 69.1 in/yr (1756 mm)
90° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bern Bissau
Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) 92°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 91°/66°F (33°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) 87°/68°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) 90°/69°F (32°/21°C)
View all months
Month Bern Bissau
Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.4°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.0°C)
Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) 90°/63°F (32.1°/17.1°C)
Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) 92°/64°F (33.4°/17.7°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.3°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) 89°/68°F (31.4°/20.0°C)
Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) 88°/68°F (30.9°/20.1°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.2°C)
Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) 86°/67°F (30.0°/19.3°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.5°C)
Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.6°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Guinea-Bissau. To live, work, or study long-term in Guinea-Bissau, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Guinea-Bissau's immigration authority.

Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting Guinea-Bissau

Visa on Arrival
Switzerland passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau.
Guinea-Bissau passport

Guinea-Bissau passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Required
Guinea-Bissau passport holders need a visa to enter Switzerland.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Guinea-Bissau?

Connectivity is usually fine (Guinea-Bissau: 0.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Guinea-Bissau offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Guinea-Bissau safe for expats?

Switzerland performs better than Guinea-Bissau across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guinea-Bissau is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland.

How is healthcare in Guinea-Bissau compared to Switzerland?

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Guinea-Bissau, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Guinea-Bissau scores 37 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).

What's the weather like in Guinea-Bissau compared to Switzerland?

The average high temperature in Bissau is 90°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Bissau receives around 69.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.

What language do they speak in Guinea-Bissau?

The official languages in Guinea-Bissau are Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.

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At a Glance

CH GW
Population 8,508,698 2,026,778
Currency Swiss Franc (CHF) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +41 +245
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112