Alpine trains, lakeside towns and precise transit justify the high travel spending, with mountain views that still stop conversations in mid-sentence.
Head-to-head · Countries Top 21
Switzerland vs Austria: quality of life compared
Switzerland and Austria share the Alps, German as a main language and a reputation for orderly, comfortable living. On Numbeo’s 2026 Quality of Life Index Switzerland reads 206.2 and Austria 199.8. Switzerland’s very high salaries lift its purchasing-power score, but it is also one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in, which the index partly offsets. Austria is cheaper, and its capital, Vienna, scores 209.7 on our cities list, higher than either national average.
Head-to-head in 21 words
Switzerland beats Austria by six Numbeo points thanks to high salaries, though Austria costs less and Vienna outscores both national averages.
The numbers
On Numbeo’s 2026 Quality of Life Index, Switzerland reads 206.2 and Austria 199.8, a gap of 6.4 points (90 against 87 on our 1–100 scale).
| Switzerland | Austria | |
|---|---|---|
| 21words score (1–100) | 90 | 87 |
| Numbeo Quality of Life Index (2026) | 206.2 | 199.8 |
| Region | Europe | Europe |
| Numbeo Purchasing Power Index (higher is better) | 176.1 | 123.2 |
| Numbeo Safety Index (higher is better) | 72.6 | 71.5 |
| Numbeo Health Care Index (higher is better) | 71.2 | 78.9 |
| Numbeo Cost of Living Index (lower is cheaper) | 110.7 | 71.3 |
| Numbeo Property Price to Income Ratio (lower is better) | 11.4 | 9.9 |
| Numbeo Traffic Commute Time Index (lower is better) | 34.5 | 23.2 |
| Numbeo Pollution Index (lower is better) | 24.3 | 20.4 |
| Numbeo Climate Index (higher is better) | 80.7 | 76.6 |
| Rank in our Countries Top 21 | joint 4th of 21 | 7th of 21 |
| Last checked | 2 November 2026 | 2 November 2026 |
Both, in exactly 21 words
Palaces, alpine valleys and coffeehouse culture pack Central Europe into tidy itineraries for travelers who love trains and fresh mountain air.
What this comparison does not tell you
A national Quality of Life reading averages very different regions, and Numbeo’s survey-based data can move between updates; gaps of a few points are not meaningful. It does not capture visas, taxes, language or job markets, which usually decide a move.
Numbeo component figures: Numbeo Quality of Life Index by Country 2026, retrieved 2 November 2026. Numbeo data is crowd-sourced survey data.
Source notes as recorded on our Countries list: Switzerland: Numbeo country QoL 206.2 (EU) → round(206.2/2.3)=90 — https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings_by_country.jsp?title=2026. Austria: Numbeo country QoL 199.8 (EU) → round(199.8/2.3)=87 — https://www.numbeo.com/quality-of-life/rankings_by_country.jsp?title=2026.
Questions
Which scores higher, Switzerland or Austria?
On Numbeo’s 2026 Quality of Life Index, Switzerland reads 206.2 and Austria 199.8, a gap of 6.4 points (90 against 87 on our 1–100 scale). In our Countries Top 21, Switzerland is joint 4th of 21 and Austria 7th of 21.
Where do these numbers come from?
Each 21words country score is Numbeo’s country-level Quality of Life Index divided by 2.3 and capped at 100. Both were last checked on 2 November 2026, and we re-check every Monday.