Moving to Kansas from Switzerland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Switzerland to Kansas, you would find that Kansas is 43.1% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,598 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly $37,064 in Kansas to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Topeka averages 66°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?

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

What does your salary buy?

CHF60,598 $37,064

To maintain the same standard of living in Kansas

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 54.6% less

Groceries

pay 21.8% less

Transportation

pay 56.9% less

Housing

pay 24.0% less

Childcare

pay 56.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 36.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CHF = 1.24 USD (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.

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 Kansas cost about 37% less than cities in Switzerland.

Switzerland

Zurich 102%
Geneva 101%

Kansas

Lawrence 57%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Kansas

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
490 ↓ 8% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Kansas compared to Switzerland.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

CH
19.5%
KS
36.8%

Switzerland performs better than Kansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

CH
96.0%
KS
89.5%

Switzerland performs better than Kansas across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CH
4.0%
KS
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CH
$82,900
KS
$60,996

Kansas generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CH
83.2 yrs
KS
76.4 yrs

Switzerland performs better than Kansas across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

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

Topeka Rain: 38.9 in/yr (989 mm)
66° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bern Topeka
Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) 86°/63°F (30°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) 54°/32°F (12°/0°C)
View all months
Month Bern Topeka
Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) 39°/19°F (4.1°/-7.3°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) 44°/23°F (6.9°/-5.1°C)
Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) 56°/32°F (13.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) 66°/43°F (19.1°/5.9°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) 75°/53°F (24.1°/11.8°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) 84°/63°F (28.9°/17.0°C)
Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) 90°/68°F (32.2°/19.9°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) 89°/65°F (31.6°/18.6°C)
Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) 80°/55°F (26.7°/13.0°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) 67°/44°F (19.6°/6.6°C)
Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) 54°/32°F (12.3°/0.2°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) 41°/21°F (4.9°/-5.9°C)

Data: MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Switzerland passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Free
United States 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 Kansas than Switzerland?

On average Kansas is about 51% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Kansas?

Budget about $9,266 for 3 months in Kansas (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 Kansas?

From major Kansas cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Switzerland and Kansas are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Kansas compared to Switzerland?

Switzerland performs better than Kansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Topeka is 66°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Topeka receives around 38.9 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.

What language do they speak in Kansas?

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

Share this

At a Glance

CH
Population 8,508,698 2,853,118
Currency Swiss Franc (CHF) United States Dollar ($)
Languages French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +41 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 112 911