Moving to United States from Switzerland
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Switzerland to United States — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Switzerland to United States, you would find that United States is 33.1% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,717 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly $52,690 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer. What to expect for your wallet after moving from Switzerland to United States. What does your salary buy? CHF60,717 → $52,690 To maintain the same standard of living in United States Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 47.5% less Groceries pay 12.5% less Transportation pay 46.4% less Housing pay 6.1% less Childcare pay 39.5% less Entertainment and Sports pay 30.6% 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 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 States cost about 12% less than cities in Switzerland. Compare cities head-to-head We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. How many people actually move from Switzerland to United States, based on official data. people moved from Switzerland to United States · OECD (latest data available) Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents. Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Switzerland to United States. 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 United States across all safety metrics. 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 performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year Switzerland performs better than United States across all environment metrics. 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 States leads in electricity per capita. 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 United States leads in unemployment rate. 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 States leads in education spending. Data: Swiss Federal Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: 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 holder visiting United States United States passport holder visiting Switzerland Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Yes — United States is on average about 30% cheaper than Switzerland. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $13,172 in United States on a CHF60,717 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees). Internet is rarely the blocker — United States has 37.8 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. Switzerland performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in Switzerland. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night. Switzerland performs better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 44.4 in Switzerland. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86). The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in. The official language in United States is English. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Bern Washington Jan–Mar 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) Jul–Sep 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) Oct–Dec 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) View all months
Month Bern Washington Jan 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) Mar 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) Apr 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) May 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) Jun 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) Jul 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) Aug 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) Sep 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) Oct 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) Nov 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) Dec 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) 
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, 
National Weather Service Visitor Visa Requirements
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