Why is Switzerland so expensive?
You might have experienced it first-hand, or even just heard the legendary tales: Switzerland is eye-wateringly pricey. But do the people earning a Swiss wage see these sky-high costs the same way? Get this question and many others answered in this episode of ‘Switzerland Explained’ by SWI swissinfo.ch.
- Deutsch Video: Darum ist die Schweiz so ein teures Pflaster
- Español ¿Por qué Suiza es tan cara?
- Português Por que a Suíça é tão cara?
- 中文 瑞士为什么那么贵?
- Français Pourquoi la Suisse est-elle si chère?
- عربي لماذا تُوصف سويسرا بأنها "جزيرة غلاء"؟
- Pусский Почему в Швейцарии всё так дорого?
- 日本語 スイスの物価はなぜ高い?
- Italiano Perché la Svizzera è così cara?
Compared with the European average, most products are more expensive in Switzerland. And the Swiss are very much aware of the price differences. A recent studyExternal link concluded that Swiss businesses and consumers could save over CHF3.3 billion ($3.6 billion) a year if they were able to source such products abroad directly.
However, despite the high prices in Switzerland, the population’s financial situation is relatively more comfortable than that of neighbouring countries – and of most countries in the European Union.
Nevertheless, some 660,000 people in Switzerland are still living under the poverty line.
[This article was updated on August 26, 2020. The following incorrect sentence was removed: '1 in 8 people has difficulty making ends meet']
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