The most expensive country in the world also boasts the highest wages, according to Numbeo. Even so, lower and middle-income Swiss households are increasingly squeezed. Health insurance premiums have more than doubled in 20 years, while rents have climbed about 20% in 15 years, and home ownership remains out of reach for many. And childcare costs can easily wipe out extra earnings.

Indicative of the depth of the problem, Switzerland’s price watchdog has been logging record complaints and last year, it started convening annual 'purchasing power' summits.

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