Moving to India from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to India — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to India, you would find that India is 88.2% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF62,000 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly ₹850,000 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Switzerland to India.
What does your salary buy?
CHF62,000 → ₹850,000
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 90.5% less
Groceries
pay 80.6% less
Transportation
pay 78.3% less
Housing
pay 93.0% less
Childcare
pay 97.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 80.9% 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 India cost about 80% less than cities in Switzerland.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to India.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs better than India 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
India 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 India 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 performs better than India 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 India 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 India across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016), The World Factbook (2011). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bern | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than Switzerland?
Yes — India is on average about 88% cheaper than Switzerland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₹212,500 in India on a CHF62,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from India?
Internet is rarely the blocker — India has 3.1 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 India safe for expats?
Switzerland performs better than India across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in India compared to Switzerland?
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in India compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
