Moving to Maine from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Maine? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Maine, you would find that Maine is 30.5% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,515 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly $43,976 in Maine to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Augusta averages 77°F vs 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Switzerland and Maine.
What does your salary buy?
CHF60,515 → $43,976
To maintain the same standard of living in Maine
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 43.4% less
Groceries
pay 13.0% less
Transportation
pay 50.6% less
Housing
pay 9.5% less
Childcare
pay 22.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.4% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Switzerland to Maine.
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.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
94.47,989
Switzerland
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Maine compared to Switzerland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Switzerland performs better than Maine across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Switzerland performs better than Maine across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Maine generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Switzerland performs better than Maine across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bern | Augusta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 63°/37°F (17°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 91°/67°F (33°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 69°/42°F (21°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Augusta |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
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 holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 Maine than Switzerland?
On average Maine is about 41% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Maine?
Budget about $10,994 for 3 months in Maine (based on a CHF60,515 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Maine?
From major Maine cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Switzerland and Maine are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Maine compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland performs better than Maine across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Maine compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Augusta is 77°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Augusta receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Maine?
The official language in Maine is English. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
