Moving to Maryland from Switzerland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Switzerland to Maryland, you would find that Maryland is 27.4% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,598 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly $47,604 in Maryland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Annapolis averages 68°F vs 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

CHF60,598 $47,604

To maintain the same standard of living in Maryland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 49.6% less

Groceries

pay 4.6% more

Transportation

pay 42.3% less

Housing

pay 9.1% less

Childcare

pay 19.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 29.0% 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 Maryland cost about 29% less than cities in Switzerland.

Switzerland

Zurich 102%
Geneva 101%

Maryland

Bethesda 71%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

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 Maryland compared to Switzerland.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

CH
19.5%
MD
33.4%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

CH
96.0%
MD
91.6%

Switzerland performs better than Maryland 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%
MD
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CH
$82,900
MD
$69,127

Maryland 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
MD
76.8 yrs

Switzerland performs better than Maryland 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

Annapolis Rain: 47.3 in/yr (1201 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bern Annapolis
Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) 50°/33°F (10°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 77°/57°F (25°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) 86°/69°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) 59°/42°F (15°/6°C)
View all months
Month Bern Annapolis
Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) 44°/29°F (6.9°/-1.6°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) 48°/31°F (9.0°/-0.5°C)
Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.5°C)
Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) 68°/47°F (20.1°/8.6°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) 77°/57°F (25.0°/13.7°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.2°C)
Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) 89°/71°F (31.9°/21.9°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.4°C)
Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.6°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) 69°/52°F (20.7°/10.9°C)
Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) 59°/42°F (14.9°/5.3°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.4°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 Maryland than Switzerland?

On average Maryland is about 37% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Maryland?

Budget about $11,901 for 3 months in Maryland (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 Maryland?

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

How is healthcare in Maryland compared to Switzerland?

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

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

The average high temperature in Annapolis is 68°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Annapolis receives around 47.3 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.

What language do they speak in Maryland?

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

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At a Glance

CH
Population 8,508,698 5,773,552
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