High Quality at High Costs in Switzerland
The quality of life may be high in Switzerland, but expats continue to struggle with unaffordable housing and making local friends.
In Brief
Following 34th place in 2024, Switzerland ranks 29th out of 46 countries in the 2025 Expat Insider survey.
The biggest hurdle expats face is still the Ease of Settling In (39th), or rather the lack of it when it comes to the social aspects involved. In contrast, Switzerland keeps offering a great Quality of Life (11th).
Expat Essentials (30th) — such as language, admin topics, housing, or digital matters — continue to show a mixed picture. And the country ranks below average for Working Abroad (26th) and Personal Finance (33rd).
All in all, an above-average share of expats in Switzerland are happy with their life (72% vs. 67% globally).
Expats Struggle to Connect
For the third year in a row, Switzerland lands in the bottom 10 of the Ease of Settling In Index (39th) — with poor results across all its underlying rating factors.
Less than half of expats in Switzerland agree the local population is friendly towards foreign residents (48% vs. 60% globally) and that they feel welcome in the country (49% vs. 62%).
Expats are unhappy with their social life (39th); struggle to get used to the local culture (41st); and disagree that it’s easy to make local friends (42nd). Indeed, more than half (54%) share they’re mostly friends with other expats.
Relocating for Your Career?
Things are nowhere near as dire when it comes to careers. Switzerland’s 26th place for Working Abroad is its second-best result in an index. Expats appreciate the state of the Swiss economy (3rd); agree moving there has somewhat improved their career prospects (16th); and find they’re usually paid fairly for their work (18th).
However, this seems to come at a cost: Switzerland ranks among the worst countries worldwide for working hours (42nd) and work–life balance (37th).
Interestingly, work plays a key role when it comes to why expats moved to Switzerland in the first place: close to half (48%) give a job-related reason (vs. 36% globally). An additional 13% relocated because of their partner’s job (vs. 5%).
High Costs, Not Only for Housing
Switzerland is infamous for being expensive, and expats agree: over three in five (62%) give the cost of living a negative rating (vs. 40% globally). Luckily, it seems you earn to match: close to three-quarters (74%) find their disposable household income is enough or more than enough to lead a comfortable life (vs. 69%). Switzerland thus lands in the lower midfield of the Personal Finance Index, ranking 33rd.
One major pain point when it comes to expenditures, though? Housing! Nearly two in three expats (64%) rate the affordability of accommodation negatively (vs. 48%), and it’s not easy to find in the first place, either (40th). These two points, together with a mediocre 31st place in the Language Subcategory, drag Switzerland down to rank 30th in the Expat Essentials Index — despite top 10 results for Digital Life (8th) and Admin Topics (7th).
Offering an Excellent Quality of Life
The Quality of Life Index ranks 11th, with Switzerland placing 1st for political stability, the opportunity to travel, and the natural environment.
Worldwide, 83% of expats rate the natural environment generally positively. In Switzerland, an even higher share of 84% give it the best possible rating (vs. 54% globally)! The air quality (4th), personal safety (9th), and opportunities for recreational sports (10th) also delight, as does the availability of public transportation (8th) and the quality of healthcare (11th).
The index’s result could be even better if it weren’t for the high costs of public transportation (37th) and healthcare (45th), as well as limited dining options (43rd) and a lack of culture & nightlife (41st). Or maybe it’s less of a lack and more of a money topic, again:
The Typical Expat in Switzerland
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Kathrin Chudoba
Editor in chief
