Switzerland is known as a country of not only high wages and a high cost of living, but also for its high quality of life. Zurich and Geneva are especially known to have an extremely high quality of life, placing first and second, respectively, for the second year in a row in Mercer Consulting survey of quality of life in the world's top 50 cities. Bern, Switzerland placed ninth.

In a recent study of prices and earnings in 70 cities around the world by Swiss bank USB, Zurich and Geneva ranked third and fourth, respectfully, for gross wage levels. However, when net earnings are compared (taking into account, for example, taxes), the inhabitants of Zurich take home the most earnings out of the 70 countries included in the study. This places Switzerland firmly at the top of global salaries