As someone who doesn’t live in Switzerland, I’ve always wondered how does the typical Swiss manage to get by when the median wealth per adult in Switzerland is only $171,035 USD (149,940 CHF).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_wealth_per_adult

Switzerland is consistently ranked among the most expensive countries in the world (according to Numbeo).

As I see it, there are a few possibilities:

  1. The median wealth data is completely inaccurate.
  2. Median wealth doesn’t impact prices that much – it's the average wealth that drives costs, and Switzerland has the highest average wealth per adult at $709,612 USD (622,131 CHF).
  3. The typical Swiss indeed struggles to spend beyond necessities.

What do you think? Am I missing anything?

by LegitimateLength1916

10 comments

  1. When I have a 300$ bill I hadn’t plan I ask if I can pay in two months 150 each and they say yes

    My 150’000 CHF wealth is in buddhist gold bars I inherited from my grandfather, I don’t touch it, it is to pay for my coffin I think

  2. “As someone who doesn’t live in Switzerland, I am going to ask yet another a question that has been raised in various forms a thousand times a year, based on my own subjective interpretation, that wastes everyone’s time”.

  3. Expenses are not paid from the wealth, but from the income.
    Probably Swiss have low saving rate so they pay for everything without big issues, but then at the end of the month not much left to build up wealth

  4. Argument 2 is very very questionable. On which basis do you say that? In general, wealthy people consume much less (in proportion to their wealth) than non wealthy people. Therefore what counts is the median rather than the average.

    You also forget the mortgages. Many swiss families have moderate wealth because of the debt on their home.

  6. I wake up every morning firing 500 Союз rocket at PRC 🫡😅

  7. In general we are have alot of wealth invested in finance products for retirement. Even the real richest Swiss are “silent” rich still taking the public transportation and not driving fancy cars but having that second small holiday home nearby the alps.

  8. > The typical Swiss indeed struggles to spend beyond necessities

    Or we don’t need/want to spend beyond necessities.
    I don’t know anyone around me (and haven’t met anyone) who owns 5 cars, wears Gucci, has 4 chihuahuas and got under a scalpel.

    In my experience, we seem to be a rather simple people, content with the simple, good things in life.

  9. I think the average Swiss households just (like mine) are not in a consumerist mindset like how Americans are. They stick to the essentials, don’t have a lot of credit card debt, rarely go out to eat, don’t follow the latest trends in clothing, cars, and technology

    I work in an international school, but also have contact with the local private school nearby as they have Swiss boarding kids with us. They come from average families, don’t wear branded clothes, have minimalist lifestyles, are just focused on their educational endeavors. Even the international students are the same, though their parents are more well-to-do. There is not a lot of pressure to keep up with the latest trends in school, they buy things based on need and function.

    In my husband’s case, he came from an above-average earning family growing up, but he and his brother still had to work as teenagers so they could enjoy their expensive hobbies (karting and moto riding).

    We live in an average agricultural neighborhood now, everyone has kids, but also the grandparents live in the same neighborhood. That helps with the childcare while the parents can work. I know a lot of people who moved back here so they could be close to their parents and they can benefit from the kids getting free childcare.

    My husband and I are childfree, and together we earn the median salary, that leaves us with enough budget to enjoy our own hobbies and have our own house. If we had kids, it would be very different. But we also have his parents if we needed help.

  10. What kind of a rich person, out of touch with reality delusional question is that??

    I live in switzerland and grew up here and i currently dont know anyone on a single salary that earns 150000. Together with your partner yes but alone no.

Comments are closed.