🏔️ Pros and Cons of Living in Switzerland | Immigration to Switzerland

Summary

In this video, the speaker reflects on their experience living in Switzerland, comparing it to other countries they've lived in like Mexico, Canada, Germany, and the UK. They highlight Switzerland's cleanliness, safety, punctuality, and beautiful nature as major positives. The speaker also appreciates the high minimum wage and relatively low taxes. However, they mention the high cost of living, expensive services, reserved nature of locals, and high health insurance costs as downsides. Despite some challenges, they find life in Switzerland rewarding, especially with the work-life balance and financial savings.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker has lived in multiple countries including Mexico, Canada, Germany, and the UK, providing a comparative perspective on living in Switzerland.
• 🏔 The speaker's first impression of Switzerland was overwhelmingly positive, noting its cleanliness, beauty, and friendly people.
• 🏙️ Switzerland is considered very clean and organized, ranking among the top three in Europe alongside Luxembourg and Norway.
• 🚸 The country is safe, with little crime, and it's rare to see homeless people or beggars.
• 🚄 Swiss public transportation is highly reliable and punctual, even more so than in Germany.
• 💧 Cold water is free in Switzerland, and there are public fountains for drinking.
• 🏞️ Switzerland offers stunning natural beauty with mountains and lakes, and it's centrally located in Europe for easy travel.
• 💰 The minimum wage is high at 25 Swiss Franks per hour, and the tax rates are relatively low, except in Geneva.
• 💸 Switzerland is expensive with services like haircuts costing around 25 Swiss Franks and public transport tickets being pricey.
• 🤐 Swiss people are described as introverted and not very open to foreigners, making it difficult to make local friends.
• 🏥 Health insurance is mandatory and can be expensive, costing around 300 Swiss Franks per month.

Q & A

What are some of the positive aspects of living in Switzerland mentioned in the video?

Switzerland is very clean, safe, with low crime rates, and has well-organized public transport. The country also offers free cold water and has beautiful nature with mountains and lakes. Additionally, the salaries are high, and the taxation system is favorable in most cantons.

What are some of the negative aspects of living in Switzerland discussed in the video?

Switzerland is quite expensive, with high costs for services like haircuts and public transport. The people can be introverted and not very open to foreigners, making it hard to make local friends. Health insurance is also expensive, and there can be a work-centric culture that may lead to a loss of motivation over time.

How does the cleanliness of Switzerland compare to other European countries?

The speaker considers Switzerland to be one of the top three cleanest countries in Europe, alongside Luxembourg and Norway.

What is the speaker's personal experience with the Swiss people's openness?

The speaker finds Swiss people to be introverted and not very communicative, especially in smaller cantons. They mention that most of their friends in Switzerland are foreigners or immigrants like themselves.

How does the speaker describe the work culture in Switzerland?

The speaker describes a work-centric culture where people tend to focus heavily on work, which can lead to a loss of motivation and enthusiasm over time.

What is the minimum wage per hour in Switzerland according to the video?

The minimum wage per hour in Switzerland is about 25 Swiss Franks.

How does the video describe the availability of organic products in Switzerland?

The video states that there is a lot of organic produce and products available in Switzerland, much more than in any other European country the speaker has been to.

What is the speaker's opinion on the cost of living in Switzerland?

The speaker finds Switzerland to be quite expensive, with high costs for services, groceries, rents, and health insurance.

What is the speaker's view on the public transport system in Switzerland?

The speaker praises the Swiss public transport system as being very well-organized and reliable, with trains that are famous for running on time.

How does the speaker compare the Swiss lifestyle to their experiences in other countries?

The speaker compares the Swiss lifestyle favorably to other countries in terms of safety, cleanliness, and job opportunities, but notes that the cost of living and the introverted nature of Swiss people are downsides.

What was the speaker's first impression of Switzerland when they visited over 20 years ago?

The speaker's first impression was very positive, noting the beauty of the country, the nice weather, the mountains, and the friendly people.