Swiss households remain worried about their short-term finances, squeezed by high rents, rising health-insurance premiums and job insecurity. A survey by Comparis, an online comparison service, found that more than one in four adults expect their financial situation to worsen in 2025 compared with last year.
Nearly a third report struggling to cover all their expenses. Yet by 2030, optimism rises: 44% of respondents expect their finances to have improved by then.
For now, confidence remains fragile. Some 27% of respondents foresee a decline in their household finances this year, including 6% who expect them to deteriorate sharply. Just 24% anticipate any improvement. Global factors—from America’s erratic trade policy to disruptions in global supply chains—add to the unease, says Michael Kuhn, a consumer-finance expert at Comparis.
Gender differences are significant. Only 18% of women express optimism, compared with 29% of men, while 30% of women fear their situation will deteriorate, versus 23% of men. Women, more likely to work part-time and earn less, also feel inflation and rising living costs more acutely. Over half report reduced purchasing power since last year, compared with 41% of men.
Health-insurance premiums remain a heavy burden. One in six respondents regularly struggles to pay them, rising to 22% among households earning CHF 4,000 or less per month. Even in middle-income households (CHF4,000–8,000), 20% report difficulty, though many in this bracket receive fewer subsidies than the poorest. Among high earners (over CHF8,000), the figure drops to 9%.
Nearly one-third of Swiss adults report financial strain, with 24% saying they must count every franc to pay bills and 6% say they are unable to make ends meet.
Those aged 36–55 feel the pinch most: 9% say their income falls short, compared with 4% of 18–35-year-olds and 3% of those over 55. Unsurprisingly, lower-income households suffer disproportionately: 17% of those earning CHF 4,000 or less say their money runs out, versus just 2% among those earning over CHF 8,000.
To cope, some turn to borrowing. Seven percent of respondents see private credit as an option, surpassing “finding cheaper housing” and, for the first time since 2021, “asking for a pay rise.” Among 18–35-year-olds, the figure rises to 11%, compared with 7% for those aged 36–65 and 2% for older adults. For many, credit finances education or lifestyle consumption, encouraged by easy online lending and “buy now, pay later” offers.
When cutting back, Swiss consumers most often forgo new electronics (64%), clothes (61%) and dining out (57%). Willingness to negotiate a pay rise is waning: only 6% intend to ask for one in mid-2025, down from 9% late last year. “Job security now trumps career ambition,” says Mr Kuhn. “People prefer stability over risk, even if it means tightening belts.” Women tend to save by avoiding impulse purchases and using discounts, while men cut back on car expenses.
Looking to 2030, confidence returns. Some 44% expect their finances to be better or much better than today, with optimism strongest among the young: 69% of 18–35-year-olds predict improvement. A third expect no change, and a quarter fear deterioration.
Climate concerns, by contrast, feature less in financial decisions. Some 77% say climate debates have little or no influence on their spending, a share higher than in surveys from 2019 to 2023. Among those who report some influence, 34% buy more regional products than a year ago and 22% are considering an electric car—up from 18% in 2023. “An increasing share of people seem to downplay climate change or ignore it entirely,” says Kuhn. “Many tweak their habits, but few make fundamental changes to their lifestyles.”
The survey, conducted by polling firm Innofact for Comparis in June 2025, polled 1,034 people across Switzerland.
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