Moving to United Kingdom from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to United Kingdom — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 33.4% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,598 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly £34,832 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Switzerland to United Kingdom.
What does your salary buy?
CHF60,598 → £34,832
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 51.4% less
Groceries
pay 41.3% less
Transportation
pay 23.3% less
Housing
pay 17.9% less
Childcare
pay 42.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.2% 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.
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 United Kingdom cost about 40% 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 United Kingdom, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to United Kingdom.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs better than United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland performs better than United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom leads in internet access.
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 performs better than United Kingdom across all employment & economy metrics.
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 generally does better on family life, though United Kingdom leads in education spending.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bern | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Met Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than Switzerland?
Yes — United Kingdom is on average about 38% cheaper than Switzerland. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly £8,708 in United Kingdom on a CHF60,598 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?
Internet is rarely the blocker — United Kingdom has 41.4 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 United Kingdom safe for expats?
Switzerland performs better than United Kingdom across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to Switzerland?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
The official language in United Kingdom is English. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
