So when are you going back home?

I'm not - we live in France....

True. 

Would be interesting to also see how the average salaries rate. I have a feeling the salaries in CH are also amongst the world's highest, so the purchase power - despite the crazy prices - is still good. 

There are a few comparaison sites,

according to this one the average person living in Lausanne has 3 times the disposable income of the average person living in Manchester England, not surprisingly.

Which pretty much backs up Nir's 'feeling' that we are well off despite having to pay a lot for stuff.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp

That's exactly what you get on wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_household_income

When you compare income with prices (Purchasing Power Parity attempts to do that) Switzerland come as number 3, after Luxemburg and Norway, but before the US.

Well yes, we are better off here unless you are working on the till in Migros or you work as a hairdresser where salaries are on average around the Chf 3,500 mark. Therefore for these people who live in Geneva, the cost of living here is horrendously expensive. Don't forget that expats on the whole tend to be university educated and have a relatively high income. 

Below is a link on a very interesting programme on a village in Switzerland where many people are claiming social security.

http://www.rtsforum.ch/tp/

Consumer purchasing power is  very strong in Switzerland.  And you get what you pay for :)  Swiss currently are voting for the highest minimum wage  in the 'WORLD'. So for employers, they must increase prices for the overheads (salarys, social charges, rents, etc.)

So yeah higher prices but for comparison, you would not get the same pay in the UK or USA for most jobs, 'i said most job'.

And im sure I will get alot of argument about this :P

If you dont like the Swiss Prices, maybe good to find another job in another country.

We have a choice.

Personally I appreciate how to live here and I dont mind paying, because I believe I am getting overall 'Good Quality of life'. but everyones quaility is 'relative' not abosolute for you.

Thats not true as a comparision.  Those on the till at migros in Geneva, would they have more spending power than those on the till at sainsburys in London?

Brad H - "So when are you going back home?"

Dave G - "If you dont like the Swiss Prices, maybe good to find another job in another country."

Amazing how people still say this. Just because someone is not a native, doesnt mean they cant complain and certainly doesnt mean they are wrong. That answer could be given to anything.

What? You get hayfever? why don't you just move to somewhere with no pollen?

What? You stepped on dog poop? Why don't you move to where there are no dogs?

Silly examples, but you get my point, becuase telling someone to suck it up or GTFO just becuase you are happy, is a bit douche-y. At least Dave has more indepth post (sorry to cherry pick the quote). Brad H as usual swoops in for some light-hearted xenophobia and swoops out.

People may have more 'disposable' income, but most things cost more, so it is not as straight forward as just comparing those two numbers. 

The average salary in switzerland is pretty heavily skewed by the higher end. This isnt a smooth symmetrical bellcurve.

As Delseta points out, its about the lower end of the spectrum, this is not a conversation about the low/middle > upper classes. This is about the bottom end/low/mid who work all hours for ~double their rent plus healthcare. 

Sure this is the case in most countries, but they dont claim that all is wonderful and rainbows a-plenty.

Nothing makes me laugh more than the impression of swiss life from outsiders point of view. 'there are gypsies?!' ' There is a lot of crime!?' - Nope, it's just chocolate, cheese and rainbows and everyone is rich...

@ Farzam

Exactly...... In the same week, on sale in our Lidl here in Evian, aubergines at 0.99 cents per kilogram. Quickly had to go to Villeneuve and found the same for sale at CHF4.99 - big difference for 20 kms.

But then our wages over this side of the lake are much lower.

The Swiss authorities published this information just last Monday, on the average and median salaries in Switzerland for 2012. It does give some interesting perspective.

http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/news/medienmitteilungen.html?pressID=9416

So, cashing out groceries at Migros is indeed not paid well at all.