Moving to Hungary from Switzerland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Switzerland to Hungary, you would find that Hungary is 61.8% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,598 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly HUF9,062,595 in Hungary to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Hungarian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Switzerland and Hungary.

What does your salary buy?

CHF60,598 HUF9,062,595

To maintain the same standard of living in Hungary

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 68.8% less

Groceries

pay 53.1% less

Transportation

pay 50.7% less

Housing

pay 64.5% less

Childcare

pay 83.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 59.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CHF = 392.64 HUF (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Switzerland to Hungary.

Moved in 2023
79 ↓ 44% vs 2022

people moved from Switzerland to Hungary · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Hungary?

Top countries of origin for Hungary's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Hungary compared to Switzerland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CH
0.5
HU
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CH
2.4
HU
7.4

Switzerland performs better than Hungary across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CH
$10,602
HU
$2,875
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CH
44.4
HU
33.0

Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CH
10.0
HU
42.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CH
3.7t
HU
4.5t

Switzerland performs better than Hungary across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CH
47.1
HU
35.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CH
6.5%
HU
8.1%

Switzerland performs better than Hungary across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CH
4.0%
HU
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CH
$82,900
HU
$40,600

Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Hungary leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CH
83.2 yrs
HU
77.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CH
3.6
HU
4.6

Switzerland performs better than Hungary across all family life metrics.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Budapest Rain: 21.0 in/yr (534 mm)
60° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bern Budapest
Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 71°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Bern Budapest
Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C)
Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C)
Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C)
Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C)
Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C)

Data: MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, Hungarian Meteorological Service Hungarian Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting Hungary

Visa Free
Switzerland passport holders can enter Hungary without a visa.
Hungary passport

Hungary passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Free
Hungary passport holders can enter Switzerland without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Hungary than Switzerland?

On average Hungary is about 62% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Hungary?

Budget about HUF2,265,649 for 3 months in Hungary (based on a CHF60,598 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Hungary?

Connectivity is usually fine (Hungary: 35.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Hungary offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Hungary safe for expats?

Switzerland performs better than Hungary across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hungary is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland.

How is healthcare in Hungary compared to Switzerland?

Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Hungary, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Hungary scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).

What's the weather like in Hungary compared to Switzerland?

The average high temperature in Budapest is 60°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Budapest receives around 21.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.

What language do they speak in Hungary?

The official language in Hungary is Hungarian. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.

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At a Glance

CH HU
Population 8,508,698 9,699,577
Currency Swiss Franc (CHF) Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Languages French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German Hungarian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +41 +36
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112