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I lived in Switzerland, although it's nearly 20 years ago now. The cost of living was similar to the UK, with rent in Zurich being cheaper than London.
The aspect I found most troubling was how sterile a society it is. You don't see many non-white faces, there is no visible poverty and the Swiss are very insular (most don't make friends with foreigners because they aren't going to be there for the long term).
The Swiss are borderline racist as well, my boss once told me and my colleagues, virtually all of us from outside Switzerland, that the problem with the country was there were too many foreigners living there. I pointed out the present company, he responded by saying "I don't mean you guys, I mean the Eastern Europeans and Africans."
andyp
Stonehedge
The_Kindness_of_Trees
I've spent a lot of time in Switzerland over the last ten years or so.
Sure, it can be super expensive for some things. If you cook all of your own food and buy local produce you can easily feed two people for 100 CHF a week but you have to really plan to achieve that.
If you ignore "international quality" housing in the financial districts, decent housing is cheaper to rent or buy than most of the UK. Tenants have strong rights, even down to earning interest on tenancy deposits and rent increases for the duration of your tenancy which can be up to ten years long.
I'm very fond of Switzerland and could well emigrate there one day but that is because it fits my particular circumstances and love of the mountains. I'd hate to suggest we model the UK on it. It can be a strange place for all of its strengths and positive aspects.