Switzerland vs Poland for Software Engineers: Real Story of Living in Both Zurich and Warsaw

Among the countries I talk the most about—praising them—are Poland and Switzerland.

If you're new here, you might want to check out my:

• Guide to Switzerland for Software Engineers
• Story of how I landed a big tech job in Switzerland
• Reasons for Poland having become a/the top place for devs in Europe
• Ranking of best countries for devs in 2024

In my rankings, I gave both Switzerland and Poland a 9/10, placing them both at the top.

They're both excellent countries to be based in as a dev nowadays, offering great pay, job opportunities, safety, and quality of life.

Which one might be the best one for you will depend on what are your priorities and what you value more.

In today's article, we go deeper into the matter through the story of a European dev who has lived in both places.

Explore jobs in Switzerland and Poland →

Introduction: Two Top Destinations

I actually know several people who have lived in both places, and I myself have lived in Zurich for years as well as having spent a good amount of time in Poland.

So, it's a comparison I have a lot of familiarity with.

Unfortunately, it's not easy to come up with a straightforward "yes or no" answer regarding which of the two is the "best".

Also, always keep in mind that everyone's situation is different, and it could very well be the case that for your specific profile, some other location entirely will be a better fit.

Story of an EU Dev Who Lived in Both Zurich and Poland

Today we focus on the story of a top dev who has experience with both countries and wanted to share with me his journey and opinion about them.

His Profile

Aspect	Details
Experience	20+ years in software engineering
Passport	EU citizen
Languages	Native language + English + some German and Polish
Career Path	Most career spent in big tech companies (Google, etc.)
Compensation	€100-300k in Polish market, €200-500k in Swiss market

His journey:

1. Started career in Western Europe
2. Got offer from Google Warsaw ~10 years ago → Relocated to Poland
3. After few years, got offer from big tech in Zurich → Moved to Switzerland
4. Eventually returned to Poland

Basically, a top dev who started out as a regular engineer, entered big tech, then climbed the big tech ladder.

For more on breaking into big tech, check our big tech companies guide.

Detailed Comparison: Zurich vs Poland

I'm going to share his perspective on how several aspects—that are important for most people's lives—differ in Zurich and Poland.

I will also add some considerations of mine.

Cost of Living: The Biggest Difference

Zurich Reality:

Despite the high salary, he felt barely middle class in Zurich.

The city's high costs meant that even with a top-tier tech salary, catching up to locals who had inherited property seemed almost impossible.

Poland Reality:

In Poland, he feels at least middle/upper-middle class.

What This Means in Practice:

Lifestyle Element	Zurich (€200k salary)	Warsaw (€150k salary)
Housing	€2,500/month for decent 2-bed	€1,200/month for great 2-bed
Dining Out	€80-150 for dinner for 2	€30-60 for dinner for 2
Full-time Babysitter	€4,000-5,000/month (barely affordable)	€1,000-1,500/month (easily affordable)
Cleaning Lady	€40-50/hour	€10-15/hour
Private Healthcare	Included but expensive (€300-500/month mandatory)	€50-100/month, excellent quality
Gym Membership	€100-150/month	€30-50/month
Net Feeling	"I'm not rich despite high salary"	"I'm doing well and can afford luxuries"

Moving to Poland enabled him and his wife to hire a full-time babysitter and a cleaning lady—something that would cost 3-4x more in Zurich.

If you're making €200k in Zurich, you basically can't afford to hire a full-time babysitter without significantly impacting your savings.

Affordable Luxuries and Services: Poland's Secret Weapon

The biggest difference is the affordability of services, housing, and luxuries: they're much cheaper in Poland than in Switzerland.

His quote:

"In Switzerland you enjoy better affordability of gadgets (iPhone, Miele washing machine), travel abroad, etc. Housing is expensive, but you also get very good quality if you can afford to buy stuff. Poland always had better affordability of services—babysitter, haircut. But sometimes the quality was a bit worse than in CH."

For more on cost comparisons, check our financial data calculator.

Cost vs Quality: The Logarithmic Returns

His perspective on quality:

"Regarding better quality of services—of course during a Swiss haircut for women (400+ CHF) you can expect that all tools & chemicals used are from top of the top of the shelf. So you will feel the difference in quality in many details. However, the question is if this is relevant. From my perspective, quality grows log-scale with money, meaning you get much better stuff for 10 Euro than for 5 Euro, but then to make the same improvement in quality you need to double again and again."

I tend to agree with this.

Service/Product	Poland Quality	Switzerland Quality	Value Assessment
Haircut	€15 - Good quality	€100+ - Excellent quality	Poland 90% quality at 15% price
Restaurant meal	€15 - Very good	€40+ - Excellent	Poland 85% quality at 37% price
Healthcare	Private: €100/month - Excellent	Mandatory: €400/month - Excellent	Similar quality, 1/4 price
Gym	€40 - Modern facilities	€120 - Premium facilities	Similar equipment, 1/3 price

My take: Warsaw gives you enough quality and luxury for a good price.

The higher standards that you have in Switzerland but not in Poland are mostly relevant if you're either:

• Poor (low-income people in Switzerland can still afford a good life thanks to social systems)
• Mega rich (8-9 figures, not even simple millionaire, where you can afford things Poland doesn't provide)

For software engineers: If you've worked hard to become a top dev, you want to be able to:

• Never cook if you don't want to
• Hire a maid or babysitter
• Get stuff delivered
• Regular massages
• Personal trainer
• Private dental and healthcare treatments

For these things, Poland is objectively better.

Switzerland gives you peace of mind—quality of things is usually high (though not without exceptions). But you'll still live like a middle-class person: shopping at supermarkets, rarely dining out, leisure time in nature (mostly free).

Social Life: Night and Day Difference

Zurich Challenge:

For our dev and spouse, building a social circle proved challenging in Zurich—especially for the spouse (stuck at home with a newborn).

This is common: I've heard it from 90%+ of expats I personally know who are living in Zurich.

Why integration in Zurich is hard:

Factor	Impact
Swiss culture	Locals prefer to stay in their bubble, hard to penetrate
High childcare costs	One partner often stays home, limiting social opportunities
Expensive socializing	Going out costs so much that people do it less
Small city	Zurich is 400k people, fewer opportunities to meet people
Tax structure	For families, often better for one partner not to work

Warsaw Reality:

Warsaw is bustling, dynamic, and growing. Opportunities to socialize are way more than in Zurich.

Smaller cities in Poland (Krakow, Gdansk, Wroclaw) are also good for this.

Why Poland is better for social life:

Factor	Why It Helps
City size	Warsaw: 2M people, Krakow: 800k vs Zurich: 400k
Costs	Going out is cheap, people do it more often
Culture	Poles are more sociable than Swiss (though not as expansive as Spanish)
Expat community	Large international community, easier to integrate
Activities	More events, restaurants, nightlife

His quote on integration:

"Easiness of integration was really good 10-15 years ago since locals were keen on getting to know people from outside of Poland. Now you have to work a bit harder to get into the circles, but IMHO it is still much easier than in CH."

For more on European city cultures, see our top 20 cities comparison.

Language Barriers: Both Have Challenges

Both countries present language challenges.

Switzerland:

• German will get you far enough in Zurich
• But Swiss German (the local dialect) is basically another language
• Not easy to learn, even for German speakers
• English works fine in cities

Poland:

• Polish can be easier for Slavic speakers
• Harder than German for Westerners
• English works fine in Warsaw, Krakow, and other major cities
• Younger generation speaks excellent English

Bottom line: In both places, if you live in main cities, you can get by with English without problems.

Lifestyle: Food, Activities, and Daily Life

Food Culture:

"One thing, food culture exploded in Poland and now you can get a lot of exclusive food & dishes at mostly okay price level. While in Switzerland you can get superb food, but usually at an insane price level (when going out to dinner eg.)"

Outdoor Activities:

"Outdoor activities are much better in Switzerland (lakes, mountains, bicycle, ski, paragliding, etc). In Poland you have to drive longer or look much harder to find similar options."

Activity Type	Switzerland	Poland
Restaurants	€80-150 per person (fine dining)	€30-60 per person (fine dining)
Casual dining	€20-30 per person	€8-15 per person
Mountain sports	World-class, 30 min away	Limited, need to travel to Tatra Mountains
Lakes	Multiple lakes in/near Zurich	Fewer natural lakes
Nightlife	Limited, expensive	Excellent, affordable
Cultural events	Good but pricey	Excellent and affordable

Growth Trajectory: Dynamic vs Stable

Poland - Steep Upward Trajectory:

"I realized the difference between Warsaw and Krakow within Poland. Warsaw is on a strong upward trajectory—as a center of business and politics. The war in Ukraine even gave that a strong boost. I am spending now more time in Warsaw, and I am deeply impressed by the dynamics and progressiveness. I now think Warsaw is way more dynamic and progressive than Zurich, also more cosmopolitan."

Switzerland - Stable Plateau:

Hard to grow a lot financially when you're already the richest country in the world. More of a stable, established place.

His observation on Warsaw:

"In Warsaw business people from 'east' and from 'west' mingle. Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, but also France, UK, US mingle there. A new melting pot. I was in the Google office in Warsaw last week, and it was way more multicultural than Krakow Google office was 10 years ago."

For more on the tech market dynamics, see our offshoring trends analysis.

Offshoring: The Trend Favors Poland

I talk about this all the time in my articles.

Pre-Pandemic Zurich was the best city in Europe to work as a tech worker:

• Highest salaries in Europe, on par with the US
• Companies expanding presence (Google, Meta, Apple, etc.)
• Little competition from other European cities

Post-Pandemic Reality:

Trend	Impact on Zurich	Impact on Poland
Salaries	Stagnated or decreased	Growing
Company expansion	Slowed significantly	Accelerating
Contractor rates	Down 20-40%	Stable or up
New hires	Decreasing	Increasing
Remote work	Companies hiring cheaper locations	Poland is the beneficiary

Contractor rate example:

• 2019: 100-250 CHF/hour in Zurich
• 2024: 100-125 CHF/hour (if you're lucky)

Zurich is still a very appealing place to be based as a tech worker in 2024. But it's no longer alone at the top.

I think Zurich has potential in:

• Deep-tech businesses
• Research (home to EPFL and ETH, best technical universities in Europe)
• High availability of capital compared to other European cities
• Big tech will keep good presence and highest salaries in absolute numbers

Eliteness: The Psychological Factor

His observation:

"I also found that Polish people love the 'exclusivity' feeling in Switzerland. Based on a hate-love relationship with their home country. Switzerland gives you the feeling to belong to an elite circle. I can see this with my Ukrainian and Polish friends & colleagues."

Reality: People in Switzerland want to go to Poland, and people in Poland want to go to Switzerland! 😄

Networking: Both Are Excellent

His take:

"Regarding networking—it is what you make it. LinkedIn, Zoom, Discord etc give you a lot of leverage from home. Now I think of it about face2face, I think Warsaw closes up to Zurich, but both are dethroned by far from San Francisco etc."

My opinion: Both places are great for networking in Europe. Which you'd like more depends on your vibe.

Aspect	Zurich	Warsaw
Vibe	Nerdy, formal	More relaxed, diverse
Networking style	Hiking, university events, formal meetups	Bars, restaurants, events
Tech community	Very strong (ETH, startups, big tech)	Very strong (growing rapidly)
Finance networking	Best in Europe	Decent
Diversity	Homogeneous (mostly banking/tech)	Very diverse backgrounds

If you prefer to network in bars, clubs, or restaurants: Warsaw has an edge.

If your ideal networking is hiking or research/university events: Zurich is better.

For LinkedIn networking strategies, check our LinkedIn career hack guide.

Schools: Quality Education in Both

His perspective on schools:

"Schools/English schools—I have no good data points here. All my kids were on regular Polish schools and universities. Which are decent if you look at PISA results. Most important to find a higher-ranked school around your location."

His philosophy:

"There are factors that are the same important as the school itself. How much does the environment stimulate to learn. In Poland people saw STEM as ticket out of poverty. Once all your friends study hard to a competitive level, you follow suit and do the same (human behaviour is viral in many ways)."

His critique of elite schools:

"Schools make a lot of fuzz about how good they are. What superior approach they have (eg Waldorf). And then I try to see any kind of data that shows that their absolvents are disproportionally more hired at places with a high entry bar. And usually that is actually not the case. Most people in good jobs come from very diverse set of schools."

From my research:

Aspect	Switzerland	Poland
International schools	€40k+/year	€15k/year
Public schools	Consistently excellent	Good but variable (need to research)
Emotional safety focus	Strong emphasis	Growing emphasis
STEM quality	Excellent	Excellent
English-speaking options	Widely available	Available in major cities

Public Services / Bureaucracy

His quote:

"Dealing with the 'urząd' (i.e., Polish public or government)—it got much better in Poland. But all depends on your luck, whom you meet etc. Switzerland are surely a tad more international. You can negotiate with them, at least occasionally. But beware if you upset them. Then you see you woke up the dragon. Again, experiences are very diverse."

Reality: Both countries have functional bureaucracy, but Switzerland is more predictable.

Zurich as a Geo-Arbitrage, Early-Career Play

His strategy for singles:

"If you are single, with no family or partner, living in a shared flat in Zürich and eating five days a week in the Google canteen (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), you can live on 2,600-3,000 CHF per month—if you live frugally—and earn 10k CHF per month, possibly more with stocks. Do that for 5-8 years and return to Poland with enough money to semi-retire."

This is similar to what I mentioned in my FIRE in Europe guide.

The math:

Scenario	Monthly Income	Monthly Costs	Monthly Savings	7-Year Savings
Zurich Single Dev	€10,000	€3,000	€7,000	€588,000
Same dev in Poland	€7,000	€2,000	€5,000	€420,000

Difference: €168k more in Switzerland, but harder lifestyle.

For detailed saving strategies, see our top 3 career paths comparison.

Summary: Upsides and Downsides

Upsides of Zurich (in his opinion)

• ✅ Ultra-beautiful landscape, outdoor activities, and sports
• ✅ Super well-connected airport (best in Europe)
• ✅ Trains to Germany, Italy, and France
• ✅ Ticino in 2-3 hours—spending weekends at Lago Maggiore
• ✅ Political stability and safety
• ✅ Highest absolute salaries in Europe
• ✅ World-class universities and research

Downsides of Zurich/Switzerland (in his opinion)

• ❌ Hard to build up a social circle, especially with Swiss natives
• ❌ You mostly stay within the expat community
• ❌ Partially rigid rules governing lifestyle (waste bin schedules, no washing machine on Sunday, etc.)
• ❌ High prices for everything
• ❌ Can feel boring if young/single
• ❌ Offshoring trend reducing opportunities

Upsides of Poland (in his opinion)

• ✅ Excellent value for money
• ✅ Great lifestyle with affordable luxuries
• ✅ Easy to build social circles
• ✅ Dynamic, growing market
• ✅ Warsaw becoming multicultural hub
• ✅ Both local and remote opportunities
• ✅ Upper-middle-class lifestyle achievable

Downsides of Poland (in his opinion)

• ❌ Cold winters (-10°C to -20°C)
• ❌ Less access to mountains and nature
• ❌ Proximity to geopolitical tensions (though Poland investing heavily in defense)
• ❌ Still catching up in some infrastructure areas
• ❌ Lower absolute salaries than Switzerland

Geopolitics: An Important Consideration

Current situation:

• War in Ukraine
• Palestine, Lebanon conflicts
• Growing tensions between Russia and West
• Political tensions within countries (UK, Germany, Netherlands, USA)
• Taiwan situation

Switzerland offers more immediate stability than Poland (though less neutral than historically).

Poland has proximity risks but is:

• Investing heavily in military (will be strongest army in Europe in few years)
• Part of NATO
• Economically strong
• Strategically important to West

My take: Being based in Poland with option to relocate somewhere out of the radars (Portugal, Latin America, Iceland, Oceania) in case things escalate is as good or better than just being in Switzerland.

The Verdict: Which Should You Choose?

Choose Switzerland If:

Criteria	Why Switzerland
Early career	Best companies for CV building
Single	Can maximize savings with frugal lifestyle
Love mountains	World-class outdoor activities
Risk-averse	Maximum stability and predictability
Short-term	2-5 years to build savings and credentials

Choose Poland If:

Criteria	Why Poland
Mid-career+	Optimal balance of income and lifestyle
Have family	Affordable childcare and comfortable lifestyle
Social person	Easier to build friendships and community
Long-term	Sustainable lifestyle you can maintain
Entrepreneur	Best place to start tech company in Europe
Remote worker	Great base for remote work

The Hybrid Approach (Recommended)

Many successful devs do this:

1. Years 1-3: Switzerland (build CV + save €100-200k)
2. Years 4-10: Poland with remote work or local big tech (save €60-80k/year)
3. Result: €520-680k saved over 10 years + better quality of life in second half

For more strategic career planning, see our location planning guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really hire a full-time babysitter in Poland on a software engineer salary?

Yes, absolutely. The numbers: Full-time live-out babysitter in Warsaw: €1,000-1,500/month (professional, experienced), Au pair (live-in): €400-600/month + room and board, Part-time nanny (20 hours/week): €500-700/month. Compare with Zurich: Full-time babysitter: €4,000-5,000/month, Part-time: €2,000-2,500/month. When it makes sense: If you and partner both work, household income €120k+, having full-time help lets both of you maintain careers without burnout. In Poland on €120k household income: After tax (€90k), minus living costs (€30k), minus babysitter (€18k) = €42k saved/year. You live comfortably AND save almost 50%. In Zurich on €180k household income: After tax (€120k), minus living costs (€50k), minus babysitter (€48k) = €22k saved. Lower savings rate despite higher absolute income. The advantage: In Poland, "luxuries" like full-time childcare, cleaning services, personal trainers are middle-class affordability. In Zurich, they're only for the wealthy.

If I work for a Swiss company remotely from Poland, which tax system applies?

It depends on your contract structure and how it's set up. Scenario 1: Employee (Swiss payroll): You pay Swiss taxes + Swiss social security (expensive). Not optimal—you get Swiss cost burden without Swiss infrastructure benefits. Rarely done. Scenario 2: B2B Contractor (Polish entity): You register Polish sole proprietorship ("działalność gospodarcza"). You invoice Swiss company monthly. You pay Polish taxes (5% with IP Box or 12-19% flat tax). You handle Polish social security (~€200-500/month). This is optimal and most common. Scenario 3: Employee (Polish payroll): Swiss company registers in Poland and pays you as employee, OR they use Employer of Record (EOR) service. You pay Polish income tax (17-32%) + social. More security than B2B but higher taxes. Reality: Most remote arrangements use Scenario 2 (B2B contractor). Swiss company prefers it (less overhead), you prefer it (lower taxes). Legal requirements: You need to be Polish tax resident (spend 183+ days/year in Poland). Consult Polish accountant (€100-150/month) to set up properly. The win-win: Company saves money vs Swiss salary, you get similar gross pay but much lower taxes.

How does the dating/relationship scene compare between Zurich and Warsaw?

Significantly different experiences, with Warsaw generally considered better for singles. Zurich dating scene: Very challenging (consistently ranked among worst in Europe for singles). Swiss people date within their existing social circles (hard for expats to break in). Small city (400k people) limits options. Expensive dates reduce spontaneity (€100+ for dinner and drinks). Expat scene is mostly couples or people focused on careers. Gender ratio: More men than women in tech sector. Warsaw dating scene: Large city (2M people) with many young professionals. International community makes it easier for expats. Affordable dating (€30-40 for nice date) enables more experimentation. Vibrant nightlife and social scene. Women are generally more open to dating foreigners. Dating apps work reasonably well. Gender-specific observations: Men: Warsaw easier (more options, less competition from wealthy locals). Women: Both cities have options, but Warsaw more social opportunities. Real quote from expat: "I was single for 4 years in Zurich without much success. Moved to Warsaw, met my partner within 6 months. Completely different social dynamics." For couples/families: This distinction matters less—both cities are fine when you're settled.

What's the career ceiling in Poland vs Switzerland for software engineers?

Switzerland has higher absolute ceiling, but Poland has faster growth trajectory for most people. Switzerland career ceiling: Technical IC (Individual Contributor): €250-500k at L6/Staff level at big tech. Engineering Manager: €300-600k at Director level. CTO/VP at startup with equity: €200k-400k base + significant equity. Freelance/Consulting (senior): €150-300k revenue. Poland career ceiling: Technical IC: €120-200k at senior/staff level. Engineering Manager: €150-250k at director level. CTO/VP at startup: €100-180k base + equity (equity often more valuable due to growing market). Freelance/Consulting: €100-180k revenue. But here's the key difference: Time to reach €100k: Switzerland: 1-3 years (even juniors can reach it). Poland: 3-7 years typically. Time to reach €150k: Switzerland: 3-6 years. Poland: 7-12 years (or 3-5 years if remote for Western company). Savings at €150k salary: Switzerland: ~€60k/year (40% rate). Poland: ~€95k/year (63% rate). The strategic play: Early career (1-5 years): Switzerland to maximize absolute growth. Mid career (5-15 years): Poland to maximize savings rate. Senior (15+ years): Either works, or do remote consulting from Poland at Swiss rates. Reality: The "ceiling" that matters is wealth accumulation, not salary. €150k in Poland accumulates wealth faster than €250k in Switzerland for most people.

Is it realistic to maintain a Switzerland salary while living in Poland long-term?

Increasingly realistic, though it requires the right setup and skills. What's required: 3-5+ years experience (junior remote jobs rare). Proven track record of independent work. Strong technical skills (you're competing globally). Good communication (written English crucial). Right contract structure (B2B typically). Which companies allow this: Remote-first companies (GitLab, Automattic, Datadog). US startups Series B-D (they already hire globally). Swiss companies with remote policies (growing post-COVID). Consulting (Toptal, Gun.io, freelance clients). Realistic salary expectations: Senior engineer: €100-180k (not quite Swiss on-site, but close). Staff+: €150-250k (can match Swiss remote positions). Specialized roles (security, ML, infrastructure): €180-300k. How long is sustainable: Indefinitely if: (1) You keep skills sharp and deliver results, (2) Company culture supports remote, (3) You maintain good communication and visibility, (4) Tax setup is legal and proper. Risk factors: Company policy changes (forced RTO), Budget cuts (remote roles often first cut), Tax law changes (though Poland IP Box stable 10+ years), Career plateau (harder to get promoted fully remote). Real examples: I personally know 15+ engineers living in Poland earning €120-180k from Western companies. Most have been doing it 3-7 years successfully. The key: It's not "maintaining Swiss salary"—it's "earning globally competitive remote salary while in Poland." Slightly different framing, more sustainable.

How do healthcare systems compare between Switzerland and Poland for someone with chronic conditions?

Both have good healthcare, but cost and accessibility differ significantly. Switzerland healthcare: System: Mandatory private insurance (€300-500/month). High deductible (€1,000-3,000/year). After deductible, 10% copay up to ~€700. Then insurance covers 100%. Quality: Excellent (world-class hospitals, specialists, equipment). Short wait times for specialists (1-4 weeks typically). English widely spoken by doctors. Costs for chronic conditions: Example—Diabetes: Insurance €400/month + medication copays €500/year + appointments copay €300/year = €5,300/year total. Example—Autoimmune condition: Similar structure, total €5,000-8,000/year depending on treatments. Poland healthcare: System: Public healthcare (free with ZUS contributions, included in employment). Private healthcare (€50-150/month for premium plans). Public: Can have longer wait times (weeks to months for specialists), Quality variable but generally good, May need Polish language for some providers. Private: No wait times (often same-week appointments), Very high quality (comparable to Swiss), English widely spoken in private clinics, Costs example—Diabetes: Private insurance €100/month + medications €300/year = €1,500/year. Example—Autoimmune: Private insurance €150/month + treatments = €2,000-3,000/year. Verdict: Switzerland: Higher quality ceiling, more convenient, but 2-3x more expensive. Poland: Excellent quality with private insurance at fraction of Swiss cost. For chronic conditions: Both handle well, but Poland's private system gives you Swiss-level quality at 30-40% of the cost.