A Swiss couple sells their apartment and settles in Germany. Life in Switzerland was too expensive.
Barnim – A Swiss couple is starting a new phase of their lives in Germany. Gudrun and Roland Z. can no longer afford to live in their home country of Switzerland. The reason: After Gudrun (68) retired and her husband (61) lost the customers of his small caravan company due to corona, they sold their condominium in Nürensdorf, Switzerland. The couple shared their story with Swiss daily Blick.
Swiss couple emigrates to Germany because of money worries
Seniors looking for paradisiacal places for their retirement are not an isolated case. For Gudrun and Roland, there was another reason to leave their home in Switzerland: money worries.
"At that time, we decided to sell our condominium in Switzerland and use it to finance a new start in Germany," Roland Z. told Blick. The advantage: they did not have to reduce their standard of living – on the contrary.
Swiss couple emigrates to Germany because of money worries (symbolic photo). © Yuri Arcurs/imago
In Germany, the couple buys a plot of land and builds a house
Without taking out a mortgage, they were able to afford a 3,000-square-meter plot of land by relocating. Also because the value of their Swiss condominium has doubled. The new living situation in Germany even provides a financial buffer for the couple. While for many seniors in Germany, the pension is barely enough for the bare necessities.
That's how expensive life is in Switzerland
Inflation, war and energy crisis: Although prices in Switzerland have risen only moderately, the price level in this country is very high regardless of crises. The "Numbeo" database has compiled a ranking of the countries with the highest cost of living in the world – Switzerland is among the top three. Germany, on the other hand, is far behind in 30th place (as of 2023). According to the Federal Statistical Office, the cost of living in Switzerland is over 50 percent higher than in Germany. Among other things, the following items are significantly higher in Switzerland:
- Health insurance premiums: approx. CHF 334 (345 euros) per month
- Hotel and restaurant visits: about 61 percent more expensive
- Food: Food and non-alcoholic beverages about 54 percent more expensive; Meat about twice as expensive
- Sources: Federal StatisticalOffice, Swiss Federal Office of Public Health
0
Also Read
Towel scandal at the pool: hotel employees crack down on reserved loungers
READ
Fear of wolves – police helicopter rescues women from the mountain at night
READ
Body of successful mountaineer found: Luis Stitzinger from Bavaria dies in the Himalayas
READ
Missing Maddie McCann: Couple reports creepy discovery - photos apparently triggered a new search operation
READ
No Dolce Vita: 15 crazy laws that could ruin your holiday in Italy in 2023
READ
Fancy a voyage of discovery?
My Area
After France, Germany is the most popular emigration destination for Swiss people. According to the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, around 98,100 Swiss nationals live in Germany (France: 206,400). This is shown by data from 2022.
One of the reasons could be the lower prices in neighbouring EU countries, which could play into the hands of pensioners in particular. According to a study conducted by Swiss Life last year, one in ten retirees in Switzerland expects that the money will not last for the rest of their lives.