How Switzerland compares across key indices
Cost of Living
126 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
92/100
Healthcare
79/100
Quality of Life
182/200
How far your money goes in Switzerland
Cost of Living
126
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
94
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
126
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
132
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Switzerland - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
92/100
Crime Index
2/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Switzerland has 95 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $2,490 in Zürich (Kreis 3) to $2,938 in Bern. Luzern leads on safety, scoring 95/100. Zürich (Kreis 11) ranks highest for quality of life at 177/200.
Zürich (Kreis 3)
$2,490/mo
Luzern
95/100
Zürich (Kreis 11)
177/200
Bern
83/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bern | $2,938 | 92/100 | 173/200 | 83/100 | 17 |
| Zürich | $2,769 | 92/100 | 173/200 | 82/100 | 18 |
| Genève | $2,675 | 93/100 | 175/200 | 79/100 | 16 |
| Basel | $2,659 | 94/100 | 175/200 | 79/100 | 15 |
| Lausanne | $2,626 | 94/100 | 175/200 | 78/100 | 14 |
| Winterthur | $2,595 | 95/100 | 176/200 | 77/100 | 13 |
| Luzern | $2,554 | 95/100 | 176/200 | 76/100 | 12 |
| Sankt Gallen | $2,545 | 95/100 | 176/200 | 76/100 | 12 |
| Lugano | $2,520 | 95/100 | 176/200 | 76/100 | 11 |
| Biel/Bienne | $2,504 | 95/100 | 176/200 | 75/100 | 11 |
| Zürich (Kreis 11) | $2,501 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 3) | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 9) | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Thun | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Bellinzona | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Köniz | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Fribourg | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| La Chaux-de-Fonds | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Schaffhausen | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 10) | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Chur | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Rapperswil | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Uster | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Sitten | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 7) | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Neuchâtel | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Emmen | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zug | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Yverdon-les-Bains | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Vernier | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 6) | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 2) | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 9) / Altstetten | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 12) | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Lancy | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Zürich (Kreis 4) / Aussersihl | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Montreux | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Frauenfeld | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Kriens | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
| Wetzikon | $2,490 | 95/100 | 177/200 | 75/100 | 10 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Switzerland. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
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22
Cities covered
8
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Versoix-Geneve
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Hasliberg Goldern
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St Gallen
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Hunenberg
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Leysin
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Leysin
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Montreux
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Lugano
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Adliswil
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Switzerland
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Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Switzerland
Pollution Index
18/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
9.1ug/m3
Good
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Switzerland, answered with data
Switzerland has a cost of living index of 126 relative to New York City (100). It is on par with or more expensive than major US cities. Monthly costs for a single person start around $2,595 in Winterthur and reach $2,938 in Bern.
Winterthur is the most affordable city in Switzerland in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $2,595 for a single person including rent. Lausanne is the next most affordable at $2,626/mo.
Switzerland has a safety index of 92/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Winterthur scores highest on safety at 95/100.
Winterthur ranks highest for quality of life in Switzerland, scoring 176/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $2,595/mo for a single person.
Switzerland scores 79/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it excellent by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Switzerland has a pollution index of 18/100 (lower = cleaner). This is relatively clean by global standards, making it appealing for those prioritising air quality and outdoor lifestyle.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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