Moving to Switzerland from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Switzerland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 32.8% more expensive than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly CHF82,100 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Switzerland cheaper than United States?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 65.8% more
Groceries
pay 11.5% more
Transportation
pay 72.2% more
Housing
pay 10.2% more
Childcare
pay 57.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Switzerland?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CHF82,100
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →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 1% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Switzerland, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Switzerland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
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 performs significantly better than United States 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
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index.
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 States 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 States leads in electricity per capita.
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
United States 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 generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Switzerland vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Zurich |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Can you move from United States to Switzerland?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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 States passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting United States
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 States?
Day-to-day costs in Switzerland run about 33% higher than United States on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around CHF20,525 in Switzerland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
With 47.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Switzerland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Switzerland.
Is Switzerland safe for expats?
Switzerland performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 72% of people in Switzerland feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to United States?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 36.8 in United States. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Zurich is 55°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Zurich receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In United States, the official language is English.
