Moving to Nigeria from Switzerland

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Switzerland to Nigeria — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Switzerland to Nigeria, you would find that Nigeria is 72.1% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF59,770 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly NGN32,460,115 in Nigeria to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abuja averages 91°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 Nigeria.

What does your salary buy?

CHF59,770 NGN32,460,115

To maintain the same standard of living in Nigeria

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 87.9% less

Groceries

pay 42.5% less

Transportation

pay 65.2% less

Housing

pay 64.9% less

Childcare

pay 96.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 76.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CHF = 1707.61 NGN (June 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Switzerland and Nigeria stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CH
0.5
NG
21.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

CH
72%
NG
79%

Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

CH
$10,602
NG
$260
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CH
44.4
NG
3.9

Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CH
10.0
NG
77.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CH
3.7t
NG
0.6t

Switzerland generally does better on environment, though Nigeria leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CH
47.1
NG
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CH
6.5%
NG
9.7%

Switzerland performs better than Nigeria across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CH
4.0%
NG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CH
$82,900
NG
$5,700

Nigeria 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
NG
61.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CH
3.6
NG
56.7

Switzerland performs better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.

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.

Bern Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Abuja Rain: 48.1 in/yr (1221 mm)
91° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bern Abuja
Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) 97°/74°F (36°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 91°/69°F (33°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) 85°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) 93°/64°F (34°/18°C)
View all months
Month Bern Abuja
Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C)
Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C)
Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C)
Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C)
Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C)

Data: MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting Nigeria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Switzerland passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Nigeria.
Nigeria passport

Nigeria passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Required
Nigeria passport holders need a visa to enter Switzerland.

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 Nigeria than Switzerland?

Generally yes: Nigeria runs about 68% cheaper than Switzerland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Nigeria?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CHF59,770 comparable salary, that's around NGN8,115,029 in Nigeria for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Nigeria?

With 0.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Nigeria 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 Nigeria.

Is Nigeria safe for expats?

Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Nigeria leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Nigeria is 21.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland. About 79% of people in Nigeria feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Nigeria compared to Switzerland?

Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nigeria leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 3.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Nigeria, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. Nigeria scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).

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

The average high temperature in Abuja is 91°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Abuja receives around 48.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.

What language do they speak in Nigeria?

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

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At a Glance

CH NG
Population 8,508,698 225,082,083
Currency Swiss Franc (CHF) Nigerian Naira (NGN)
Languages French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +41 +234
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112