Moving to Peru from Switzerland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Switzerland to Peru — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Switzerland to Peru, you would find that Peru is 72.9% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF62,000 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly PEN70,100 in Peru to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lima averages 72°F vs 55°F in Zurich, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Peru cheaper than Switzerland?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 82.4% less
Groceries
pay 59.4% less
Transportation
pay 57.0% less
Housing
pay 79.4% less
Childcare
pay 89.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Peru?
What does your salary buy?
CHF62,000 → PEN70,100
To maintain the same standard of living in Peru
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Peru
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Switzerland to Peru, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Switzerland and Peru 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
Switzerland performs better than Peru across all safety metrics.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru 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 generally does better on environment, though Peru leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Switzerland generally does better on infrastructure, though Peru leads in water stress level.
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
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Peru leads in top income tax 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
Switzerland performs better than Peru across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Peru vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 66°/58°F (19°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú
Can you move from Switzerland to Peru?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Peru. To live, work, or study long-term in Peru, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Peru's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Peru
Visa Free
Peru 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 Peru than Switzerland?
Generally yes: Peru runs about 73% cheaper than Switzerland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Peru?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CHF62,000 comparable salary, that's around PEN17,525 in Peru for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Peru?
With 11.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Peru 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 Peru.
Is Peru safe for expats?
Switzerland performs better than Peru across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Peru is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland. About 39% of people in Peru feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Peru compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Peru leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 16.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Peru, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Peru scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Peru compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Lima is 72°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Lima receives around 0.5 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Peru?
The official languages in Peru are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
