Moving to Switzerland from Vietnam

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Vietnam to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Vietnam to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 4.3 times more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,900,000,000 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly CHF264,000 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°F vs 82°F in Hanoi, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Vietnam and Switzerland.

What does your salary buy?

₫1,900,000,000 → CHF264,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 9.7 times more

Groceries

pay 2.5 times more

Transportation

pay 3.7 times more

Housing

pay 5.1 times more

Childcare

pay 4.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.0 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 VND = 0.0 CHF (October 2026)

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 178% more than cities in Vietnam.

Vietnam

Hanoi ★ 32%
Hai Phong 29%

Switzerland

Baden 98%
Zurich 98%
Nyon 90%
Geneva 90%
Vevey 88%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Vietnam to Switzerland.

Moved in 2023
358 ↑ 2% vs 2022

people moved from Vietnam to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Switzerland?

Top countries of origin for Switzerland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Vietnam.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

VN
1.5
CH
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

VN
17.7
CH
2.4

Switzerland performs significantly better than Vietnam across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

VN
$690
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

VN
11.1
CH
44.8

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

VN
52.0
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

VN
4.3t
CH
3.8t

Switzerland performs significantly better than Vietnam across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

VN
23.7
CH
47.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

VN
18.1%
CH
6.5%

Switzerland performs significantly better than Vietnam across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

VN
1.5%
CH
4.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

VN
$5,066
CH
$114,769

Vietnam generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

VN
74.7 yrs
CH
84.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

VN
12.0
CH
3.4

Switzerland performs significantly better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Hanoi Rain: 64.1 in/yr (1628 mm)
82° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bern Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Hanoi Bern
Jan–Mar 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Hanoi Bern
Jan 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam 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.

Vietnam passport

Vietnam passport holder visiting Switzerland

Visa Required
Vietnam passport holders need a visa to enter Switzerland.
Switzerland passport

Switzerland passport holder visiting Vietnam

Visa Free
Switzerland passport holders can enter Vietnam without a visa.

Data: 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 Vietnam?

On average Switzerland is around 333% pricier than Vietnam, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?

Budget about CHF66,000 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a ₫1,900,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Switzerland?

Connectivity is usually fine (Switzerland: 47.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Switzerland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Switzerland safe for expats?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Vietnam across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Vietnam?

Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 11.1 in Vietnam. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).

What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Vietnam?

The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 82°F in Hanoi. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Hanoi gets 64.1 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.

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At a Glance

VN CH
Population 101,598,527 9,092,436
Currency Vietnamese Dong (₫) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages Vietnamese French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +84 +41
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 113 112