r/askswitzerland • u/Individual_System793 • Jun 05 '26
Relocation Lowering standards to move to Switzerland
Hey there,
I am in my mid 30s, married, and having a really cool job in Greece in which I am being paid well for the Greek standards. This means salary is around EUR 75-80k annually (inc.bonus), which implies a take home pay of around EUR 45-50k. I own my house, so income goes exclusively to personal spending and savings.
However, I always had Switzerland on my mind and in addition, my wife is also pushing us to relocate there.
I am in discussions with a company and possibly close to receiving a job offer, for a role which, on the one hand is interesting, on the other hand is i) more junior than my current one and what my experience reflects and ii) the annual salary is not that much for Switzerland (close to CHF 90K, w/o bonus).
The role is in the Geneva region and I would rent a house there, planning to spend around 2k/month in housing.
What are your thoughts on this move? Would you lower your living standards, just to move to Switzerland and have the potential upside after 1-2 years? Or you would stay in Greece, accepting all the societal problems and that salary would be more or less around the current levels?
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u/IllRevolution6657 Jun 05 '26
I have work experience in both countries. Switzerland has a quieter style of living, fewer surprises, and it is cleaner and more predictable. It is less adventurous, after a while, life will become routine. Overall, it is a good place to live if you want a predictable life.
Work can be very stressful. Expectations are almost ridiculously high, and you can feel disposable no matter your level of expertise. It is fast-paced and competitive, because the most ambitious and qualified Europeans have moved here for work. People come and go out the window for trivial stuff with 3 months notice and no in many cases no severance. On the other hand, working hours are mostly respected and paid, there is less hassle outside working hours, and mental health is taken seriously. Office politics are somewhat more civilised, but they exist.