The happiest country in Europe has been named but you will need deep pockets if you want to live there.
Switzerland has topped a ranking of life satisfaction carried out by the European Union’s data crunching service. The landlocked country scored eight in the study and was closely followed by Austria with an average score of 7.9.
They were followed by Poland, Romania and Finland which all scored 7.9 in the study. The EU average of the bloc’s 27 countries since 2020 is 7.1. After Brexit, the UK is not included in the analysis.
While the land of the Matterhorn, Swiss cheese, clocks and chocolate ranked the highest, anyone who wants to relocate to the winter sports hotspot will need to have plenty of money spare.
Switzerland often appears at the top of global, cost-of-living rankings, though for some this doesn’t stop them from relocating thanks in part of the country’s relatively high salaries and lower taxes.
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Out of the top 10 most expensive cities in the world for international employees, three are in Switzerland, according to the financial services company, Mercer.
Hong Kong tops its ranking, followed by Singapore, Zurich, Geneva and Basel, the last three being cities in Switzerland. The Swiss capital, Bern, is placed seventh in the 2023 study.
A individual would need to earn about £3,170 (3,500 Swiss francs) a month to live comfortably in Switzerland, according to Expat Well. This jumps to £8,150 (9,000 Swiss francs) per month for a family of four.
While it might not be cheap, Switzerland clearly appeals. The OECD’s Better Life Index found in 2021 that Switzerland is above average for other OECD countries across a range of measures, including well-being, jobs, wealth, health and housing.
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The Expatica website praises Switzerland’s pristine nature, diverse culture and the Swiss people’s fondness for punctuality.
It says of the country: “Switzerland is a crown jewel of Europe when it comes to natural beauty. Living in Switzerland is certainly ideal for nature lovers, hikers, and winter sports enthusiasts.”
But it also points out that there is a considerable gap between the richest and poorest with 15 percent of those on low incomes spending more than 40 percent on housing alone.
Expatica also says Switzerland is a reserved, traditional place, citing as an example of women’s rights and equality. Swiss women weren’t given the right to vote until 1971, years after Britain, Germany and France.
For those who would like to visit the country rather than up sticks and move there, the easiest way is by plane with flights taking roughly four hours. It is also possible to get there by rail and road on reaching the continent from the UK.
Top sights in Switzerland include the Matterhorn, the Rhine Falls, the Alpine glacier Aletsch and the Swiss National Park, which is a UNESCO recognised biosphere.
There is also a Grand Tour of Switzerland, a signposted 1,020 mile (1,643km) circuit to the country which takes in 46 top attractions, 22 lakes, five Alpine passes and 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites across eight stages.
Highlights of the tour include the medieval town La Gruyère, Schloss Hallwyl, Basel, the Lake Lucerne region and Château de Chillon on Lake Geneva.
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