Europe
Living in Switzerland
Photo: Château de Chillon on Lake Geneva · Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
A landlocked Alpine country with four national languages, very high wages and prices, and famously punctual public transport. Editorial
The numbers
Main city climate-1° to 19°CColdest and warmest month averages, Zurich · 2020
Average temperature9.1°CZurich (whole country 6.5°C) · 2020
Price level128%Of US prices for everyday goods and services · 2025
Average spending$3,696Per person per month (international $, PPP) · 2025
Income per person$102,500GDP per person a year (international $, PPP) · 2025
Unemployment4.9%Of the labour force · 2025
Homicides0.6Per 100,000 people a year · 2023
Life expectancy84.4 yearsAt birth · 2024
Clean air8 µg/m³Average fine-particle pollution (WHO guideline: 5) · 2023
Forest32%Of the land area · 2024
City dwellers86%Of people live in cities and towns · 2025
Tax revenue9.5%Of GDP · 2024
Language and getting around Editorial
- Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh. English is widely spoken.
- Public transport: Extensive: most people can live without a car in the big cities.
- Geography: Landlocked, with mountain areas. Capital: Bern.
Moving to Switzerland
Visa and residence rules depend on your nationality, job, studies and family, and they change often. Start with the government's own website: www.sem.admin.ch.
Sources
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GDP per person (PPP) | 102,513.35 international $ | 2025 | World Bank WDI |
| Unemployment | 4.87 % of labour force | 2025 | World Bank WDI (ILO estimate) |
| Intentional homicides | 0.6 per 100,000 people | 2023 | World Bank WDI (UNODC) |
| Political stability and absence of violence | 1.12 score, -2.5 to 2.5 | 2025 | Worldwide Governance Indicators |
| Government effectiveness (public services) | 1.97 score, -2.5 to 2.5 | 2025 | Worldwide Governance Indicators |
| Life expectancy at birth | 84.41 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Health spending per person | 11,783.67 US$ per person | 2023 | World Bank WDI (WHO) |
| Tax revenue | 9.45 % of GDP | 2024 | World Bank WDI (IMF) |
| People living in cities and towns | 85.73 % of population | 2025 | World Bank WDI (UN) |
| Forest area | 32.02 % of land | 2024 | World Bank WDI (FAO) |
| Fine-particle air pollution (PM2.5) | 8.32 µg/m³, annual mean | 2023 | World Bank WDI |
| Price level of household goods and services | 1.28 ratio, United States = 1 | 2025 | Calculated: PPP conversion factor (private consumption) / official exchange rate, World Bank WDI |
| Average household spending per person | 3,695.7 international $ per person per month | 2025 | Calculated: household consumption (PPP) / population / 12, World Bank WDI |
| Average temperature, whole country 1991-2020 | 6.5 °C | 2020 | World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (CRU TS 4.08, 1991-2020) |
| Average temperature, main city | 9.1 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Coldest month average, main city | -0.7 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Warmest month average, main city | 18.7 °C | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
| Rainfall, main city | 1,310 mm per year | 2020 | NASA POWER climatology, main city |
Data checked 2 November 2026. National averages hide differences between cities and regions. Climate figures for Zurich are 2001–2020 averages.
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