Financial insecurity is spreading across Switzerland’s middle class, with many households struggling to absorb unexpected expenses despite the country’s reputation for wealth

and high salaries.

New figures released by the Federal Statistical Office show that around one in four people in the lower middle-income bracket would be unable to cover an unforeseen CHF2,500 ($3,200) expense.

The findings, based on the FSO’s household budget and living conditions surveys, highlight mounting economic pressure on a segment of society traditionally viewed as financially stable.

In 2024, approximately 4.9 million residents fell into Switzerland’s middle-income category. The classification includes single adults earning between CHF4,228 and CHF9,061 per month, as well as couples with two children earning between CHF8,800 and CHF19,028 combined.

However, the strain is most severe among the lower middle class, which represents roughly a quarter of Switzerland’s permanent resident population — around 2.3 million people.

This category includes single adults earning less than CHF6,041 per month and families with two young children earning below CHF12,685.

According to the FSO, 10.5% of people in this income group — about 240,000 individuals — spend more than 40% of their household income on housing costs. Another 320,000 reported difficulties making ends meet at the end of each month.

The financial pressure is also affecting everyday lifestyle choices. Nearly 260,000 lower middle-class residents said they had given up taking holidays because they could not afford them.

The report underscores a widening gap between Switzerland’s image of prosperity and the economic realities facing many households, particularly as housing and living costs continue to rise. Photo by User:Pascal.Tesson, Wikimedia commons.