- CostPricey≈145% over Europe
- SafetyVery safe5.0/5
- MobilityEasy3.8/5
- CultureGood3.6/5
- ClimateVariable-7–27°
Top cities
Source: GeoNames
Cost of living in Switzerland
On the pricey side for Europe.
Its $4,882 median runs ~145% above Europe's median major city ($1,992); Genève ($5,699) runs 1.3× Sankt Gallen ($4,551).
Good to know — low cost often trades against local salaries and visa options — budget for income, not just spending. Learn how we measure this →
Safety in Switzerland
Nothing here stands out as a concern.
Risk stays within a normal range across every hazard measured in Switzerland.
Good to know — a calm national average can hide neighbourhood-level crime — research the specific district you would live in. Learn how we measure this →
Getting around Switzerland
Mobility in Switzerland depends on the city — Zürich leads, Lugano trails.
The country average (3.8) hides a wide spread: Zürich reaches 4.4 while Lugano sits at 2.6. Choose by city, not by country.
Good to know — strong airport access can coexist with weak everyday transit — check the mode you would actually use. Learn how we measure this →
Culture in Switzerland
Culture in Switzerland concentrates in its big cities — Zürich leads, Lugano is lighter.
The country average (3.6) is carried by a few cities: Zürich reaches 3.9 while Lugano sits at 1.4. Check the specific city, not the country.
Good to know — a strong national culture score can be carried by one or two big cities — check the specific city, not only the country average. Learn how we measure this →
Airports in Switzerland
Zürich Airport is Switzerland's busiest gateway.
2 major airports handle about 50M passengers a year. Tap any to see its nearest cities and how far they are.
Good to know — passenger volume is total throughput, not direct-route breadth; a large hub can still lack flights to your region. Learn how we measure this →
Passport strength in Switzerland
Switzerland holds one of the world's strongest passports.
- Mobility
- #19152 destinations
- GDP reach
- #3690.7% of world GDP
- Heritage
- #161,129 of 1,353 UNESCO sites
Good to know — a mobility rank counts how many destinations you can enter, not how useful they are; a strong passport can still gate the one place you care about. Learn how we measure this →
Climate in Switzerland
Mild and even — rarely hot, rarely brutal.
Across its cities, summer highs top out near 27°C feels-like while the coldest spots dip to around -7°C; sunshine is moderate, topping out near 203 days in Lugano.
Feels-like °C — monthly range across cities
Good to know— a country isn't one climate but a range; the extremes here are different cities, not the same place across seasons. Learn how we measure this →
Who thrives in Switzerland
Switzerland suits a wide range of lifestyles.
Fit is scored per lifestyle and anchored to the cities that serve each best — Mountain Seeker leads. Pick one to see exactly where it works.
Great fit
Decent fit
Poor fit
Good to know — fit is by city, not country; a lifestyle that thrives here may only do so in one or two of its cities. Learn how we measure this →