Switzerland is not what you think

Summary of the video (lifestyle, travel, and practical realities)

The speaker argues that many Singaporeans romanticize Switzerland through Instagram—mountains, lakes, cute villages, skiing, and an idealized “paradise” lifestyle. However, after living in Singapore and regularly visiting Switzerland, they feel the day-to-day reality is very different. They say they can’t imagine moving back after 3.5+ years in Singapore.

1) Weather: the “four seasons” misconception

• Switzerland does have four seasons, but winter can feel extremely long—about 9 months.
• Mountain photos with clear blue skies are mostly vacation/peak-ski imagery, not typical daily life.
• In Zurich, much of the time is gray, rainy, cold, and dark.
• Even mid-summer can be miserable; they report ~18°C and rain for 3 straight days in July.
• Temperature swings can happen quickly (around 30°C to 18°C within a day).

2) Weather affects mood and behavior (less spontaneity)

• In winter, darkness falls early—around 5:00 p.m.—changing evening routines.
• Cold + rain + early darkness makes it harder to leave the house, leading to:
  • less spontaneity
  • less socializing
  • more staying home / feeling isolated
• In Singapore, they can run errands at 9:30 p.m. or get ice cream at 10:00 p.m. without planning.
• Overall, they emphasize that Singapore’s consistent warmth/sun makes daily life feel easier.

3) Cost of living: “high salaries” doesn’t offset prices

They compare everyday expenses in Singapore vs. Switzerland:

• Coke Zero at a restaurant:
  • ~S$3–4 in Singapore
  • up to S$9–11 in Switzerland
• Simple lunch (pasta + drink):
  • S$40–45 in Switzerland (not even fancy)
• Public transport:
  • Switzerland is “great,” but delays are common and it’s expensive
  • A 15-minute one-way ride can be ~S$9–10
  • Round trip: ~S$20 just for errands
• Pilates classes:
  • ~S$60 for a 45-minute session (with fewer cheaper alternatives than Singapore)

4) Convenience: Singapore’s always-open lifestyle

• Groceries and essentials:
  • order via Foodpanda
  • delivery in 20–25 minutes
  • late-night needs (e.g., toothpaste at 10:00 p.m.) can still be delivered quickly
• Sundays:
  • In Switzerland, Sunday feels like a shutdown/rest day:
    • many supermarkets and restaurants closed
    • shops and pharmacies closed (with limited exceptions, e.g., one 24-hour pharmacy)
    • forgetting essentials may require going to the central train station and dealing with long lines
• Their takeaway: after living with “everything anytime,” going back feels hard to imagine.

5) Healthcare: high quality, but cost + speed matter

• They praise Switzerland’s healthcare quality (they describe their parent’s surgery experience as upscale).
• But costs are high:
  • ~S$850/month for basic health insurance (no add-ons/privates)
• In Singapore, they pay around S$450 for a better plan with more coverage.
• Speed and convenience:
  • Singapore: WhatsApp a clinic, book, and sometimes see a doctor the same day
    • Example: splinter—doctor visit ~2 hours later, and insurance payment arrives within 2 days
  • Switzerland: appointments for non-urgent issues may take ~2 weeks; dentist booking ~4 months ahead
  • Results can be slower and require returning to the clinic to discuss them (no WhatsApp-style workflow)

6) Food: limited flavors + restaurant portioning they don’t enjoy

They strongly criticize Swiss food as bland/low variety:

• fondue (melted cheese + bread)
• raclette (melted cheese + potatoes)
• rösti (grated potato + egg on top; minimal seasoning)

They also dislike restaurant culture:

• people order their own full dish (starter, main, dessert) and don’t share
• they compare this to Asian dining, where sharing enables tasting more variety

They claim Singapore’s food variety is unmatched and often more affordable, while grocery costs in Switzerland can also make home cooking less economical.

7) Safety: “safe” compared to other countries, but not their experience

They say Switzerland is generally safer than some places, but not on the same level as Singapore for them.

Alleged experiences in Switzerland include:

• catcalled multiple times (even while walking home after nights out)
• friends robbed
• their home broken into twice

A severe Zurich incident:

• their mom’s store in a nice area was entered by a man with two guns
• he took a customer hostage and demanded money
• he threatened to return and shoot them if police were called
• he was later caught and served prison time (released after ~2 years, per the speaker)

Conclusion: they personally don’t feel Switzerland is “perfectly safe.”

8) Final preference: Singapore wins for everyday quality of life

Why they prefer Singapore:

• weather (consistently pleasant)
• convenience (delivery, late-night access, open stores)
• food (including favorites like chicken rice and fish soup)
• safety
• efficiency (“everything just works”)

They describe Singapore as their “happy place” and the “best place in the world.”

What Switzerland does better (in their view):

• nature: mountains and scenery
• air quality and tap water quality
• easy access to the rest of Europe for travel

Recommendations / closing advice

• Visit Switzerland: Yes, but:
  • bring cash
  • hope for good weather
• Work there: for many people, yes
• See the mountains: absolutely yes
• But they don’t believe Switzerland matches the “paradise” image.
• They do not plan to move back after living in Singapore.

Notable locations / products / references

• Locations: Zurich (city life); Singapore (Orchard Road mentioned); Switzerland (general)
• Products / services: Foodpanda; “Coke Zero”; Pilates classes; health insurance plans
• Swiss cultural items/food: cheese fondue, raclette, rösti
• Instagram / creators: “On Swiss in SG on Instagram” (account referenced by the speaker)
• Travel tip context: mountains, lakes, skiing areas (as represented online)