Do Switzerland’s downsides cancel its advantages?

Switzerland’s massively high cost of living across the board is the major downside of a transfer to its spectacular beauty.

Especially for expat professionals in the financial sector, relocation to Switzerland is the Holy Grail due to its massive salaries, locked-in safety and security, totally upscale lifestyle and extraordinary natural beauty. However, even this legendary hang-out of top talent has its downsides, according to the most recent expat survey. Of course, Zurich is one of the planet’s most expensive cities, followed closely be Geneva, but expat salaries in this fairytale setting reach up to and beyond £75,000 – more even than Swiss earners – and even Big Macs are the world’s most expensive.

One major downside of relocating to Switzerland is the general unfriendliness of the local people, especially to those unable to speak the language. Here’s where it gets complicated, as the tiny state has no less than four languages, three of which aren’t easy and one which is a total nightmare and almost impossible to learn. Schweizerdeutsch is a dialect of the German language, but even native German speakers have problems with its grammar, and most expats are forced to give up, however hard they’ve tried.

However, one benefit of a lack of friendly locals is that expat communities stick together like glue, forming genuine, supportive friendships both in and outside the workplace. This is especially important when relocations include expat families, particularly given the high cost of childcare. Education is first-class but very pricey, and paternity leave is just two weeks a year by law. As regards healthcare, it’s one of the world’s most expensive, with even newly-arrived USA expats shocked at the prices charged. However, the one major plus point of value at this chaotic time is the country’ political stability, seeming cosy when compared with the Brexit, Trump and Johnson views of the world in which we live.