Europe has been one of the most desired continents by ex-pats for settling. Be it France or Italy or Germany, each place has a unique culture and carries a different charm. However, Switzerland is one of the most preferred places to settle in Europe. The worldwide famous Lindt chocolates, the heavenly environment, the delicious fondu, the high living standards, and many more things have attracted many ex-pats to Swiss. There is no doubt that it is one of the best places to live but there are many things a person should know before moving. Well to save you from the trouble we have listed the five things that you need to know before moving to Switzerland.
1. Living in Switzerland can be expensive
Over the years Switzerland has earned a reputation for being one of the most expensive countries in the world. The cost of living there is high compared to the rest of Europe and the USA. Somewhere these high expenses are the result of high wages and great living standards. On the brighter side, there are many ways by which you can save money. First, if you rent a house then try to find the one in which you get basic utilities included so that you can save up to 250 CHF per month. Secondly, you can get a public transport pass which costs around 75 CHF. Thirdly for buying groceries you can go to the store after 1700 hours when many of the stores slash their prices. At last, once you will start living in Swiss you will easily blend in with locals and will learn to manage everything.
2. Having health insurance is necessary
If you are planning to live in Switzerland then you must know that purchasing an insurance plan is necessary. An ex-pat should buy insurance within three months of moving to the country, having basic public health insurance is mandatory and people can add private top-ups to that plan. However, finding the right plan can be a heck of a task but to save you from all the confusion PrimApp, a health insurance comparison online tool has curated the best insurance policies for you. You can simply scroll through the app and find the best-suited policies according to your requirements. The best part about the app is that it is available in four different languages which are English, German, French and Italian. So before moving you should definitely check out the PrimApp and purchase your desired health insurance.
3. Swiss has four national languages
The Federal Administration of Switzerland has given four languages the status of the national languages. Those languages are French, German, Italian, and Romansh. Over 60% of the country speaks German, so knowing this language might be the best bet for you but that does not decrease the value of the other three languages. However, even if you know the English language then you can get by at least for some time, and eventually, you can learn the other languages.
4. You will fall in love with the mountains
Switzerland is known for its majestic mountains and is considered to be one of the most mountainous countries on the planet. Due to being situated in the Alps, you can never be too far from one. You can enjoy numerous outdoor activities all year round like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, kayaking, etc. Other than that you can enjoy amazing traditional festivals, delicious food and so on.
5. Say bye-bye to cars
The world-class Swiss transit system will make you say goodbye to your cars. It is very easy to get around by train or bus and you can even go to other countries by train. The perfect location of the country will allow you to spend holidays in various neighboring countries like Itlay, Germany, France, etc. Going around by public transport means that you can easily skip the complicated and expensive registration process and can travel to different places with ease.
Well here is our list of some important things and an important app, PrimApp that you need to know about before moving to Switzerland.
