Switzerland

Living in Switzerland: the short version

Switzerland pays some of the highest salaries in the world and is safe, clean and superbly run, but it is also one of the most expensive places to live. EU and EFTA citizens can move fairly easily under free movement; everyone else generally needs a highly qualified job offer that fits within strict annual permit quotas.

Best for: Highly skilled professionals with a job offer, EU citizens, and wealthy non-working residents.

How to move to Switzerland: main visa and residency routes

Summaries only — requirements and income thresholds change. Always check the official sources below.

EU/EFTA free movement

EU and EFTA citizens with a job or sufficient funds receive an L (short-term) or B (residence) permit.

Non-EU work permit (L or B)

For qualified specialists hired by a Swiss employer that shows no suitable Swiss or EU candidate was found; issued within annual federal quotas.

Non-working residence

For financially independent people, often older, with large assets; some cantons offer lump-sum (expenditure-based) taxation.

Family reunification

Spouses and children of permit holders and Swiss citizens can usually join them.

Healthcare for newcomers

Basic health insurance is compulsory and bought individually from private insurers within three months of arrival. Premiums average several hundred francs a month per adult, plus a yearly deductible; low-income residents can get cantonal subsidies.

Sources and methodology

Figures on this page are estimates in US dollars, compiled from the international datasets below and converted at recent exchange rates. The cost of living index uses New York City as 100. Guidance was last reviewed on September 30, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.