Moving to Switzerland

Home to the delectable Lindt chocolate, shimmering lakes, and the beautiful Swiss Alps, Switzerland has long been known as one of the most desirable countries for expats to move to. So what makes everyone move to Switzerland?

Switzerland is a perfectly picturesque country that boasts a low crime rate, is exceptionally clean, and has a far higher life expectancy than in other countries.

It’s no wonder several celebrities have moved here over the years, with the likes of Phil Collins and Shania Twain both now happily residing in the country.

The standard of living in Switzerland is extremely high and its economy is stable, plus unemployment is low. Therefore, it is ideal for expats who want to relocate and take up a new position. Salaries in Switzerland are amongst the highest in the world and working conditions are good. However, the cost of living tends to be expensive so it does offset this somewhat. For expats, regardless of this fact, it still ranks as one of the most desirable locations in the world.

This article will give you all the information you’ll need about moving to Switzerland, including the costs of shipping, available visas, and transferring money from the UK to Switzerland.

To get your move started, you can either fill in our simple form or complete the form below. Whichever you choose, all you need to do is enter a few details about your move, and we’ll connect you to our expert suppliers. They’ll get in touch with bespoke, obligation-free shipping quotes for you to compare.

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Areas in Switzerland are referred to as cantons. Bern is the capital of Switzerland, and Zurich is the largest city; both are set in the German-speaking northern region. The western part of Switzerland is French-speaking; here you will find the multicultural Geneva and scenic Lausanne. To the south, you will find Lugano, where Italian is spoken. Although it is not a prerequisite to speak the dialect, taking lessons can help you to integrate more easily with the locals when you move.

The weather fluctuates, summers in Switzerland tend to be warm and humid, whereas winter temperatures can drop below freezing. The heavy snowfalls on the mountains, however, make it ideal to take to the slopes and practice your skiing.

How much does it cost to ship your belongings from the UK to Switzerland?

If you’re moving to Switzerland, you’ll want an idea of what you might spend on moving your furniture there.

How much you’ll spend will depend on what type of freight you pick, with sea and air freight having vast cost differences between them (air freight can be as much as 18 times more expensive than sea freight for example).

We’ve also written a guide on moving to Zurich specifically if that’s where you’re planning on heading to!

Sea freight costs from the UK to Switzerland

Shipping is almost always the most cost-effective way to get your belongings from A to B, but it does take substantially longer than air freight.

To give you an idea of costs, the table below has a few approximate prices for shipping from the UK to Switzerland. We got these rates from Freightos.com, basing the rough costs on the port-to-port transportation of a 20 ft container of used furniture worth £55,000 (the typical value of the contents of a three-bedroom home according to the Association of British Insurers).

Please note: these container shipping costs exclude typical add-ons such as door-to-door delivery, professional packing/unpacking, and basic insurance cover. Our shipping suppliers normally incorporate these services into their prices, so expect some discrepancy between the rates given here and the quotes you receive. These estimates should be used as an indication only. This information is up to date, as of January 2025.

Air freight costs from the UK to Switzerland

Need to ship your belongings from the UK to Switzerland as fast as possible? Air freight is the best option when time is of the essence, but you’ll pay a premium for this convenience.

As we mentioned before, air freight can be up to 18 times more expensive than sea freight, so it’s really only an option in emergencies – or if you’re only moving a few, small essential items you absolutely need to arrive with you.

Below is a table showing the rough costs of flying 250 kg of household goods (worth £2,500) from the UK to Switzerland. We’ve sourced these rates from Freightos.com and they’re correct as of January 2025.

Visas and becoming a citizen

Although not in the EU, Switzerland has adopted some of its policies. Therefore, EU citizens can live and work in Switzerland, as long as they have a residence permit.

If you have not already acquired a work contract prior to moving, then you are allowed to look for work for a period of three months. This can be extended to six months. Citizens from outside the EU must have a guaranteed work contract, before moving, as well as a work permit. Further information in regards to visas can be found on the Switzerland government website.

To become a citizen of Switzerland, you need to have resided in the country for at least ten years. More information in regards to citizenship can be found on the Switzerland government FAQ page.

Permanent residency visa

It’s generally easier to become a permanent resident in Switzerland than it is to apply for full Swiss citizenship. You’ll still need to meet a few requirements, including:

• Living in Switzerland for 10 years
• Having a “B” permit (typically gained through employment with a Swiss company)

Requirements can vary between different cantons, however, so you should contact your cantonal immigration office and ask for clarification. There’s also valuable information on the page for UK citizens which contains information on all types of visas available.

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Healthcare

Healthcare in Switzerland is superb, although it is not free. Its structure is a combination of public, subsidised private, and fully private systems. All individuals are required to take out a health and accident insurance policy.

This is compulsory and a policy must be taken out within three months of arriving to live or work in Switzerland. This applies to all members of the family, even babies.

Job market

The unemployment rate in Switzerland is one of the lowest in the world and the requirement for skilled workers is high. Banking, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and construction tend to be among the major industries. Alongside this, the headquarters of many of the world’s biggest multinational companies are situated in Switzerland including Nestle, Zurich Insurance, Roche, and Adecco. It is also home to the United Nations and the International Red Cross.

To increase your chances of successfully gaining employment, learning to speak the language of the canton you intend to reside and work in, is distinctly advantageous. However, as many of the multinational companies seek English-speaking employees, it is not crucial.

Salaries in Switzerland are extremely high. However, it is worth taking into account when considering jobs that the cost of living is high, too.

Setting up your finances

Setting up your finances in Switzerland is relatively easy as a Brit moving to Switzerland. You’ll need to bring the following to your Swiss bank of choice:

• Proof of ID
• Proof of address
• Proof of your residence status
• A letter from your employer.

You might also need to show proof of income, and what source your first deposit will come from (for the sake of transparency).

Of course, opening a Swiss bank means you’ll need to change some of your British pounds into Swiss francs, but if you do this via a bank, you’ll be charged at a higher exchange rate than if you used a P2P broker.

Transferring money to Switzerland

Thinking of moving to Switzerland and/or buying property there? You’ll probably need to convert your money into Swiss francs.

That’s why we’ve teamed up with Wise, an easy-to-use international money transfer service that uses the real exchange rate and charges low fees.

Fill out Wise’s form below to see how they could help.

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Essential info for Switzerland

Property information

There has never been a better time to purchase property in Switzerland, with low mortgage interest rates. Having said this, getting on the property ladder in Switzerland can be expensive.

Houses and apartments do not come cheap and you may find that the prices simply have too many noughts on the end! Property owners in Switzerland tend to be in the minority, with two-thirds of the population living in rented accommodation.

Buying property in Switzerland

As you would expect, buying property in the major towns and cities is far more expensive than in less populated districts. Depending on the region, prices vary greatly. In more remote, lesser-known areas you can pay less than 3,000 CHF per m² to prices well over 17,000 CHF per m² in the more desirable areas. In Zurich, you can expect to pay on average around 21,500 CHF per square metre, and in Geneva, it’s 20,000 CHF per square metre.

There are many luxury properties available and apartments tend to be modern. They usually come with balconies, communal parking, and playgrounds. Properties tend to be listed by the number of rooms, not including the bathroom or kitchen.

If you decide to purchase a property, you need to have a minimum deposit of 20% to qualify for a mortgage.

Living costs

Salaries may be high, but the cost of living in Switzerland is high too. In a survey, Zurich, Geneva, and Bern presented in the top ten of the most expensive places to live, out of 207 cities worldwide.

Food

A meal for two in a restaurant costs on average around 100 CHF (£89). In Geneva and Zurich it could typically cost 120 CHF (£108), whereas in Bern and Lausanne around 70 CHF (£63).

Shopping for groceries can also vary between cantons, with a small shopping list of: milk, bread, eggs, potatoes, cheese, and apples costing an average of 30–40 CHF (£27-£36). Again Zurich is at the higher end and Lausanne at the lower.

Rent

Property is usually rented out unfurnished and rents tend to be high, with a one-bedroom city centre apartment costing 1,000–2,300 CHF (£899-£2,068) per month. For a three-bedroom apartment then you would be looking at 2,000 – 4,000 (£1,798-£3,596) CHF per month.

Geneva and Zurich are again both at the more expensive end and Basel and Bern at the lower end of the scale. Lausanne comes midway, with rent averages on a three-bedroom apartment working out at 3,000 CHF (£2,687).

Transportation

When it comes to travelling around Switzerland, a journey of 3 km in a taxi will cost around 18 CHF (£16.19) and a one-way trip on public transport costs 3 CHF (£2.70). Petrol costs on average 1.87 CHF (£1.67) a litre.

Public transport in Switzerland is excellent, adhering mostly to the Swiss standard of timeliness, and is available throughout the country. Let’s breakdown your options for getting around Switzerland via public transport:

Buses and trams

There’s a generous mix of city and regional buses to choose from in Switzerland, though generally speaking, buses aren’t used for cross-country travel (trains are the go-to transport for this).

For trams, you’ll only really find them in Zurich, Basel, Bern, and Geneva. Be aware of your surroundings when talking about these cities, as trams tend to prefer tooting their horn over braking!

Trains

The Swiss travel further by train each year than any other European nation, with each person covering nearly 1,500 miles by rail annually! It helps that trains in Switzerland are among some of the most reliable in the world, and are by a long way the fastest and most convenient way to travel around the country.

Trains are expensive however – a ticket from Basel to Geneva is £65 for example. Because of this, it’s sometimes a good idea to get a Saver Day Pass (starting at £45, or 52 CHF), or a Swiss Travel Pass (the cheapest is £259 or 295 CHF and lasts four days).

Schools and education

Local state-funded schools in Switzerland are excellent and children can take advantage of the free language lessons for expat children. Youngsters tend to pick up languages quickly, so this is ideal for families relocating. There are variations in schools depending on the canton they are based in. Each canton decides the languages taught in the schools and the length of the school day.

Children start kindergarten usually at the age of four or five, unlike school though this is not compulsory. They then go on to elementary school and high school. Each canton in Switzerland has, at least, one secondary school and there are eleven universities throughout Switzerland.

Swiss private schools are exceptional and many are renowned worldwide. Some of these distinguished schools do tend to have long waiting lists, especially in the cities that have a high expat population.

Universities in Switzerland

Switzerland’s universities are outstanding. Particularly good is ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), which is ranked the 7th best university in the world as of 2024. The universities are supported well by the government, so fees are low in the majority.

Students from the UK do not require a visa to study in Switzerland. They are also permitted to work up to 15 hours per week while at university, without requiring a work permit.

There are differences in school enrolment procedures depending on the canton, which should be investigated upon deciding on a place to move to in Switzerland.

Driving in Switzerland

You are allowed to drive in Switzerland for one year on a recognised foreign driving licence (English, French, German, or Italian), after this, a Swiss driving licence will be required. All those from the EU, Iceland, Norway, and Lichtenstein, can exchange their driver’s licence for a Swiss one without a test.

This is on the condition that it is exchanged within 12 months of arriving to live in Switzerland. Each of the cantons has its own office where paperwork will need to be submitted.

Motorways

A motorway vignette is required if you intend to drive on the motorways in Switzerland. It costs 40 CHF and can be purchased online or at the border crossings.

The sticker must be placed on the inside windshield of your car, not on the dashboard (if it is incorrectly placed, or taped on, then it will be deemed invalid).

The vignette is valid for fourteen months, i.e. if you purchase it on January 1st, it does not expire until February 31st of the following year.

Ranking against the world

For work and life balance, a naturally clean environment, and a generally high quality of life Switzerland always tends to top the polls. In a recent Mercer quality of living survey of cities of the world, Zurich came out second next to Vienna.

Switzerland also came top in a survey of the happiest countries in the world and it has been nominated as the favourite destination for expats. Another plus is that Switzerland is neutral, so to many it also feels safe, a peaceful haven away from the hostilities of the rest of the world.

Although the cost of living in Switzerland is high, average personal monthly disposable incomes are far higher than that of the rest of the world. On the other side, despite the fact it is not cheap to live in Switzerland, this is far outweighed by the benefits of residing and working in this glorious country.

Want to read more about moving to Switzerland? Check out our list of the 21 things you need to know before moving to Switzerland.

Conclusion

Switzerland is one of the best countries in the world to live in when it comes to healthcare, economy, quality of life, low crime rates, and education, so what are you waiting for? If you’re ready to start the moving process, we can help.

All you need to do is enter a few details about your move in our simple form, and we’ll connect you with trusted shipping companies. They’ll get in touch with bespoke, obligation-free quotes for you to compare.