Switzerland
Europe · Western Europe
Europe's highest salaries, with a very high cost of living offset by world-class infrastructure.
At a Glance
📈Switzerland's Human Development Index
0.967
Very High human development#1 of 191 countries worldwide, #1 of 44 in Europe.
Higher than 100% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Switzerland
Switzerland is a small, mountainous Central European country that has refined the art of doing things carefully, from its watchmaking and chocolate to its trains, its bank architecture, and its exceptional alpine landscapes. The country is multilingual and multicultural in a precise way, with German, French, Italian, and Romansh regions each maintaining their own character. Those who connect with the combination of natural grandeur and human precision will find it one of the most quietly satisfying places in Europe.
- Has enough nuclear bunkers to shelter its entire population.
- More Nobel Prize winners per capita than the United States.
- Four official languages, none of them called 'Swiss'.
Quick Facts
Capital
Bern
Languages
French, Swiss German, Italian, Romansh
Currency
Fr. CHF
Area
39,510 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
286Mbps
Mobile
124Mbps
GDP / Capita
$115K
PPP / Capita
$103K
Inflation
0.2%
Unemployment
4.9%
Innovation (GII)
66.0
GNI / Capita
$110K
Tax Revenue
9.5%
FDI Inflows
-1.2%
Education Spend
4.9%
Cost of Living
110.7
Price Level Index
1st pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.850 → 0.967 (+0.117)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
Thinking about Switzerland for real?
The matcher weighs your budget, timeline and dealbreakers against the same data on this page, then answers with the places that actually fit.
Find your match →Neighbouring Countries
Switzerland head-to-head
💬Quick answers
What is Switzerland's Human Development Index?
Switzerland's Human Development Index is 0.967 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #1 of 191 countries.
Is Switzerland safe?
Switzerland scores 1.36 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #3 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Switzerland?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Switzerland at 110.7 (New York = 100); that is #143 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Switzerland?
Life expectancy at birth in Switzerland is 84.4 yrs (World Bank), ranked #4 of 195 countries.
What is the quality of life in Switzerland?
Numbeo's quality-of-life index scores Switzerland at 206.2, ranked #5 of 87 countries with data. It composites purchasing power, safety, healthcare, cost of living, commute and pollution from resident surveys, so it reflects what residents report rather than what an economy produces.