Handbook for Investors. Business location in Switzerland.

13. Living in Switzerland.
Thanks to the excellent quality of life and the safe environment,
life expectancy in Switzerland is among the highest in
the world. The undamaged natural surroundings and varied
cultural and recreational opportunities attract not only many
tourists but also well-qualified foreign employees. Swiss
households have an average monthly earned income of
CHF 6,298, of which about 70 % remains as disposable income
for consumption after deduction of social security contributions
and taxes. Switzerland therefore has the highest
purchasing power in the world, despite relatively high prices.
13.1 Safety and quality of life.
Switzerland is a very safe country and offers an extremely high
quality of life. Switzerland receives high marks, in both cities and
rural regions, for important criteria such as income, healthcare,
climate and geography, political stability, safety and security,
individual freedoms, and family and community life.
Fig. 65: Global comparison of quality of living, 2009
New York, USA = 100
1 Vienna, Austria 108.6
2 Zurich, Switzerland 108.0
3 Geneva, Switzerland 107.9
4 Vancouver, Canada 107.4
4 Auckland, New Zealand 107.4
6 Düsseldorf, Germany 107.2
7 Munich, Germany 107.0
8 Frankfurt, Germany 106.8
9 Berne, Switzerland 106.5
10 Sydney, Australia 106.3
11 Copenhagen, Denmark 106.2
13 Amsterdam, Netherlands 105.7
14 Brussels, Belgium 105.4
16 Berlin, Germany 105.0
19 Luxembourg, Luxembourg 104.6
25 Dublin, Ireland 103.6
26 Singapore, Singapore 103.5
35 Tokyo, Japan 102.2
38 London, UK 101.6
49 New York, USA 100.0
Source: Mercer Survey, Quality of Living Global City Rankings
Everyone is guaranteed freedom of movement and safety –
everywhere and at all times. There are relatively few large population
centers or extensive monotonous and impersonal housing
developments. Children generally walk to school unaccompanied.
The safe environment and the traditional discretion of the Swiss
people are widely valued. Even internationally known celebrities
can often move about in Switzerland without personal protection.
120 Handbook for Investors 2010