Moving to Japan from Switzerland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Switzerland to Japan — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Switzerland to Japan, you would find that Japan is 57.0% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF58,584 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly ¥4,716,184 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°F vs 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Switzerland to Japan.
What does your salary buy?
CHF58,584 → ¥4,716,184
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 79.1% less
Groceries
pay 24.8% less
Transportation
pay 46.6% less
Housing
pay 57.5% less
Childcare
pay 74.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 55.0% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Switzerland to Japan, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Switzerland to Japan · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
- · · ·
-
35.1,315
Switzerland
Key Indicator Comparison
How Switzerland and Japan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in road traffic deaths.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland performs better than Japan 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
Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though Japan leads in electricity per capita.
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
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Switzerland leads in education spending.
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 | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Free
Japan 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 Japan than Switzerland?
Generally yes: Japan runs about 61% cheaper than Switzerland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CHF58,584 comparable salary, that's around ¥1,179,046 in Japan for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Japan?
With 37.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Japan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Switzerland and Japan.
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland. About 83% of people in Japan feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
