Moving to Switzerland from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 66.7% more expensive than United Kingdom overall. A £55,766 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly CHF97,019 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Kingdom to Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
£55,766 → CHF97,019
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 94.6% more
Transportation
pay 38.3% more
Housing
pay 28.2% more
Childcare
pay 74.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 41.8% more
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 Switzerland cost about 65% more than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Kingdom to Switzerland, based on official data.
people moved from United Kingdom to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in homicide rate.
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 significantly 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 significantly 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: HM Revenue & Customs, 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 | London | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Met Office,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Switzerland than United Kingdom?
No — Switzerland is on average about 60% more expensive than United Kingdom. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CHF24,255 in Switzerland on a £55,766 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Switzerland has 47.1 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 Switzerland safe for expats?
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Switzerland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 60°F in London. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
