Moving to Russia from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to Russia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to Russia, you would find that Russia is 67.3% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF62,000 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly RUB2,080,000 in Russia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Switzerland to Russia.
What does your salary buy?
CHF62,000 → RUB2,080,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Russia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 69.5% less
Groceries
pay 59.6% less
Transportation
pay 64.2% less
Housing
pay 73.9% less
Childcare
pay 78.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.7% 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.
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 Russia cost about 55% less than cities in Switzerland.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Switzerland to Russia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Russia?
Top countries of origin for Russia's foreign-born residents.
- 3,268,263
- 2,558,907
- 1,146,175
- 766,918
- 763,879
- 591,025
- · · ·
-
59.578
Switzerland
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to Russia.
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 generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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 Russia 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 performs better than Russia across all environment metrics.
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 Russia 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
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in gdp per capita.
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 Russia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Federal Tax Service of Russia (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bern | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Moscow |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Russia. To live, work, or study long-term in Russia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Russia's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Russia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Russia passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Russia than Switzerland?
Yes — Russia is on average about 67% cheaper than Switzerland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Russia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RUB520,000 in Russia on a CHF62,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Russia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Russia has 27.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Russia safe for expats?
Switzerland generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Russia is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland. About 90% of people in Russia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Russia compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Russia, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Russia scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Russia compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Moscow is 48°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Moscow receives around 27.2 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Russia?
The official language in Russia is Russian. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
