Moving to Rhode Island from Switzerland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Switzerland to Rhode Island, you would find that Rhode Island is 26.2% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,515 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly $51,658 in Rhode Island to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Switzerland and Rhode Island.

What does your salary buy?

CHF60,515 $51,658

To maintain the same standard of living in Rhode Island

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 42.5% less

Groceries

pay 2.6% more

Transportation

pay 38.2% less

Housing

pay 9.8% more

Childcare

pay 30.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 24.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CHF = 1.24 USD (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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Switzerland to Rhode Island.

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 Rhode Island compared to Switzerland.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

CH
19.5%
RI
31.6%

Switzerland performs better than Rhode Island across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

CH
96.0%
RI
90.8%

Switzerland performs better than Rhode Island 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%
RI
4.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CH
$82,900
RI
$56,938

Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Rhode Island leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CH
83.2 yrs
RI
78.2 yrs

Switzerland performs better than Rhode Island 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

Providence Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1198 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bern Providence
Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 68°/49°F (20°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) 79°/61°F (26°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) 53°/35°F (12°/2°C)
View all months
Month Bern Providence
Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C)
Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C)
Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C)
Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C)
Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C)
Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C)
Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C)
Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C)
Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.2°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 Rhode Island than Switzerland?

On average Rhode Island is about 31% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Rhode Island?

Budget about $12,914 for 3 months in Rhode Island (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 Rhode Island?

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

How is healthcare in Rhode Island compared to Switzerland?

Switzerland performs better than Rhode Island across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Rhode Island compared to Switzerland?

The average high temperature in Providence is 61°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Providence receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.

What language do they speak in Rhode Island?

The official language in Rhode Island 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 1,052,567
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