Moving to West Virginia from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to West Virginia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to West Virginia, you would find that West Virginia is 45.5% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF60,717 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly $34,614 in West Virginia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Charleston averages 73°F vs 55°F in Bern, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Switzerland and West Virginia.
What does your salary buy?
CHF60,717 → $34,614
To maintain the same standard of living in West Virginia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 53.2% less
Groceries
pay 28.8% less
Transportation
pay 49.8% less
Housing
pay 22.2% less
Childcare
pay 67.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.6% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Switzerland to West Virginia.
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.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
94.47,989
Switzerland
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in West Virginia compared to Switzerland.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Switzerland performs better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Switzerland performs better than West Virginia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland performs better than West Virginia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Switzerland performs better than West Virginia across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bern | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 85°/75°F (30°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 67°/54°F (20°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bern | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 57°/43°F (13.7°/6.0°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.5°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 65°/52°F (18.3°/10.9°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 72°/59°F (22.2°/14.9°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 88°/77°F (30.9°/24.9°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.5°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 82°/72°F (27.8°/22.1°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 75°/62°F (23.7°/16.9°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 67°/54°F (19.6°/12.0°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 60°/46°F (15.3°/7.6°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
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 holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States 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 West Virginia than Switzerland?
On average West Virginia is about 54% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to West Virginia?
Budget about $8,654 for 3 months in West Virginia (based on a CHF60,717 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from West Virginia?
From major West Virginia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Switzerland and West Virginia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in West Virginia compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland performs better than West Virginia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in West Virginia compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Charleston is 73°F, compared to 55°F in Bern. Charleston receives around 44.4 in of rainfall per year, while Bern gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in West Virginia?
The official language in West Virginia is English. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
