Save over 250 francs a month? You're ahead of half of Switzerland

As the cost of living in Switzerland continues to rise and salaries fail to keep up with inflation, residents are finding it increasingly difficult to put money aside. According to a new study by the University of St Gallen (HSG) commissioned by precious metals dealer Philoro, 53 percent of people surveyed said that they can no longer save as much money as they did three years ago.

Swiss savings squeezed by rising living costs

2026 has been a reminder to us all how quickly the cost of living can change. The price of diesel and petrol has spiked, mandatory health insurance premiums (Krankenkasse) have risen again and rent continues to be high.

The recent HSG study, which surveyed 3.057 people, revealed that the median monthly savings of all adults, in other words, the point where half save more and half save less, sits between 100 and 250 Swiss francs. Notably, 21 percent of respondents save nothing at all.

Among just those who are able to put some cash aside, the median savings amount is between 250 and 500 francs. "Someone who can save 251 francs per month is in the upper half," explains HSG Professor Sven Reinecke.

"If the savings rate falls, that's good in the short term, as people spend more on consumption, but not in the long run,” adds Reinecke, who finds the results surprising as Switzerland is often "considered a nation of savers," according to 20 Minuten.

Pillar 3a tops the list for would-be savers

The survey also asked respondents what they would do with their savings if they were able to save more. Investing in a tax-advantaged Pillar 3a pension was the most popular answer (38 percent), followed by a savings account (32 percent), precious metals and real estate (27 percent), funds or equity (25 percent), ETFs (22 percent), individual stocks (14 percent) and cryptocurrencies (11 percent).

Reinecke further explained that "it's alarming" how many people leave money in a bank account rather than invest it, but this "reflects the uncertainty among the population."

Lastly, the study uncovered the main reasons why people in Switzerland want to save money. Retirement came out on top (38 percent), followed by leisure, holidays and emergency funds (31 percent), wealth accumulation (27 percent), family (19 percent) and a major purchase like a car (13 percent).