Switzerland

Western Europe

EuropeNon-EUSchengenEFTA

Top-tier salaries, safety, low cantonal taxes and no capital-gains tax on private wealth, but one of the world's longest, strictest citizenship paths and a very high cost of living.

83
Overall score
Excellent · 97% data coverage
Language
German / French / Italian
Currency
CHF
Citizenship
10 years
Personal tax
Cantonal: ~20–40% effective
Cost of living
CHF 3,500 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
79
Access
17%
82Residence12%
71Citizenship and passport5%
72
Earning power
25%
77Salary and work12%
68Buying power13%
84
Business and wealth
20%
72Taxes7%
85Business8%
100Investment5%
90
Daily life
25%
91Quality of life18%
87Education7%
96
Rights and institutions
13%
96Freedom6%
96Rule of law7%

Pros

  • 0% CGT on private assets
  • Highest salaries in Europe
  • Lump-sum tax deal for wealthy newcomers

Cons

  • 10-year, locally-decided citizenship
  • Very high cost of living
  • Strict non-EU work quotas

Best for

High earners & investorsWealthy relocators (lump-sum)Researchers & executives

Score profile

Access
Residence
82
Citizenship
63
Passport
96
Earning power
Salary & work
77
Buying power
68
Cost of living
2
Economy
85
Business and wealth
Taxes
72
Personal tax
27
Corporate tax
66
Business
85
Investment
100
Wealth building
71
Daily life
Safety
88
Healthcare
94
Environment
96
Infrastructure
92
Education
87
HDI
97
Rights and institutions
Freedom
96
Rule of law
96
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Excellent
82
Migrant stock31.1% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality1.77 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
EU/EFTA free movementWork permit (quota for non-EU)Lump-sum taxationStudy
StudentStudent permit; ~15 hrs/week work after 6 months.
WorkEU/EFTA citizens free; non-EU subject to strict annual quotas.
Self-employedEU/EFTA can self-employ; non-EU must prove economic interest.
PermanentC permit (PR) after 5 (EU/US) or 10 years.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Moderate
63
Years required10 years (years 8–9 at half-count for some)
Dual allowedYes
LanguageLocal language to ~B1/A2 + integration (canton-dependent)
Residence10 years legal residence + C permit + cantonal/communal approval
NotesDecided at federal, cantonal AND communal level: local integration scrutiny is significant.
Passport
Passport power
Excellent
96
190 / 198
Mobility
#5
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free143
  • On arrival38
  • eTA9
  • Visa required8

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Good
77
Output per worker$150,729 PPP (2024)
Unemployment4.9% (2025)
Participation66.7% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$6,425 · $5,378 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$9,251 · $7,516 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceHigh day rates; pharma, finance, deep-tech
Job marketZurich/Geneva/Zug hubs; among the world's highest net pay.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
68
GNI / person$101,690 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$41,971 PPP (2023)
Price level128 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality33.8 Gini (2022)
Inflation0.2% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Low
2
Price level128 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentCHF 1,800–2,800 (1BR Zurich)
MonthlyCHF 3,500
CitiesZurich, Geneva, Zug, Basel, Lausanne
Economy
Economic strength
Excellent
85
Output & income
GDP$1T (2025)
GDP / person$114,769 (2025)
GNI / person$101,690 PPP (2025)
GDP growth1.3% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation0.2% / yr (2025)
Unemployment4.9% (2025)
Output per worker$150,729 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture0.6% of GDP (2025)
Industry25.0% of GDP (2025)
Services71.7% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Banking & financePharmaceuticalsPrecision machineryWatchmakingChemicals
Top exports
Pharmaceuticals & chemicalsWatches & precision instrumentsMachineryGold
TypeHigh-income, finance- and high-value-manufacturing-led
Key sectorsPrivate banking & wealth management, Life sciences, Luxury manufacturing
SummaryA wealthy, stable economy led by global finance, pharma and high-value precision manufacturing.
CurrencySwiss franc (a global safe-haven currency)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Good
72
PersonalFederal + cantonal + communal; ~20–40% effective by canton
Corporate~12–21% effective depending on canton (Zug low)
Capital gains0% on private movable assets; real-estate gains taxed cantonally
DividendsPartial taxation (~50–70% included) at marginal rate
Exit taxNone for individuals
Foreign companiesNo formal CFC regime
Personal tax
Personal tax
Low
27
PersonalFederal + cantonal + communal; ~20–40% effective by canton
FreelanceSelf-employment recognised; AHV social contributions apply
Capital gains0% on private movable assets; real-estate gains taxed cantonally
DividendsPartial taxation (~50–70% included) at marginal rate
Exit taxNone for individuals
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Good
66
Corporate~12–21% effective depending on canton (Zug low)
Capital gains0% on private movable assets; real-estate gains taxed cantonally
DividendsPartial taxation (~50–70% included) at marginal rate
Foreign companiesNo formal CFC regime
Business
Business friendliness
Excellent
85
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality1.77 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness1.84 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyYes: foreign ownership allowed; one Swiss-resident signatory needed
Local companyGmbH (CHF 20k) or AG (CHF 100k); notarised
FreelanceSelf-employment recognised; AHV social contributions apply
Investment
Investing environment
Excellent
100
Market cap241% of GDP (2025)
Private credit168% of GDP (2016)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains0% on private securities gains (if non-professional investor)
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxYes: cantonal wealth tax on net assets
BrokersExcellent: Swissquote, Interactive Brokers, banks
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Good
71
Salary & work
Good
77
Business
Excellent
85
Investment
Excellent
100
Tax friendliness
Good
72
Cost of living
Low
2

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Excellent
88
Personal safety
Homicide rate0.6 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption2.01 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.98 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
94
Outcomes
Life expectancy84.4 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality3.9 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians4.48 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds4.38 per 1,000 (2023)
Health spending$10,602 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemMandatory private insurance, universal
InsuranceCompulsory basic health insurance for all residents
Average costCHF 300–450 / mo basic premium
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
96
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure8.3 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress6.5% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
92
Digital infrastructure
Internet use97.3% (2025)
Internet resilience81 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed94 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed74 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses5.0% of output (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality4.40 / 5 (2022)
Rail density104.3 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity22,551 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Excellent
87
Attainment
Expected schooling16.7 years (2023)
Mean schooling13.9 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment74% gross (2024)
Education spending4.9% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionCHF 1,000–4,000 / yr (public)
Public universityLow public tuition (ETH/EPFL world-class)
LanguagesGerman, French, Italian, English (Master's/PhD)
Student work~15 hrs/week during term after 6 months
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
97
HDI0.970 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy84.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling16.7 years (2023)
Mean schooling13.9 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$81,949 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Excellent
96
Freedom in the World96 / 100 (Free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Excellent
96
Rule of Law percentile96 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)sem.admin.chFederal Tax Administrationestv.admin.chch.ch: Citizenshipch.chUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Switzerland visa & immigrationgoogle.comSwitzerland tax residency rulesgoogle.comSwitzerland citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Switzerlandgoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.