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Warren Buffett says: "Do not save what is left after spending — spend what is left after saving." But how much should you concretely save? This calculator shows your current savings rate, benchmarks it against the Swiss average and calculates what your savings rate becomes over 10, 20 and 30 years.

⚠ Illustration. Not investment or tax advice. Historical returns are no guarantee of future results. arvy is a FINMA-regulated asset manager. Imprint

How the calculator works

The savings rate is a simple formula: (income − expenses) ÷ income. With CHF 7,000 net, CHF 3,000 in fixed costs and CHF 2,000 in variable expenses, you have CHF 2,000 left to save — a savings rate of 28.6%. What most people overlook: the gap between "leave it in the savings account" and "invest it" makes a six-figure difference over 20+ years. The calculator therefore shows both worlds: your savings rate today, and what it's worth over 10, 20 and 30 years of compounding.

How much do Swiss households actually save?

The answer depends on who's asking. There are two official Swiss savings rates — and they differ by a factor of 1.5:

Sources: Swiss Federal Statistical Office (BFS), National Accounts 2023; Household Budget Survey (HABE) 2022; Eurostat 2024; Die Volkswirtschaft (2023).

The median household saves approximately CHF 1,546 per month according to HABE — which on a gross household income of around CHF 9,900 corresponds to a 15.6% rate. But: a substantial share of households save nothing at all. The bottom income quintile actively depletes wealth or goes into debt.

The 50/30/20 rule — and why it's often 70/20/10 in Switzerland

One of the best-known budget rules, popularised by Senator Elizabeth Warren: 50% needs, 30% wants, 20% saving. Needs are housing, insurance, groceries, transport. Wants are dining out, hobbies, travel, streaming. Saving covers emergency fund, 3a, equity savings plan, debt repayment.

In Switzerland it rarely works 1:1. At a median net of CHF 6,700, 50% = CHF 3,350 in fixed costs is unrealistically low once rent (CHF 1,500-2,500), health insurance (CHF 400-500) and taxes are factored in. More realistic for Switzerland is 70/20/10 for median earners or 60/20/20 from CHF 8,000+ net.

Illustration. Distribution is always individual — the table shows typical clusters. More important than the exact % allocation is the habit: investing a fixed amount each month, automatically via standing order.

Saving vs. investing — the decisive difference

The savings rate only tells half the story. What matters is: what do you do with the money you save? Three worlds, three end results for CHF 2,000/month over 20 years:

Calculation: monthly deposit CHF 2,000, monthly compounding, 20 years. Swiss capital gains tax-free for private investors.

The difference between savings account and invested over 20 years: CHF 524,000. More than what you've deposited in 20 years combined. That's not "luck" or "a good market" — that's the mathematical logic of compound interest, applied to historical Swiss equity market data.

"Save the Raise" — the lever that changes everything

Morgan Housel describes in The Art of Spending Money the single most powerful savings mechanic: every salary increase goes straight into the savings plan, before your lifestyle adapts to it. The psychological trick: your bank account never sees the raise. You don't get used to higher consumption. You keep the same lifestyle quality — and simultaneously build substantial wealth.

Both at 7% return, 25 years. "Save the Raise" lifts the monthly savings amount yearly by 5% with the salary. Extra end wealth: +CHF 687,000 — you save absolutely more because your salary grows, but your lifestyle stays constant. No sacrifice.

The three biggest levers for your savings rate

1. Housing. By far the largest line item in any Swiss household. CHF 500 less rent (e.g. 3.5- instead of 4.5-room flat) = CHF 500 more savings rate. Invested over 30 years: CHF 610,000 in wealth.
2. Car vs. public transport. A Swiss car costs CHF 800-1,200/month on average (incl. depreciation, insurance, fuel, service). GA + occasional Mobility: CHF 350-450. Difference: CHF 500-700/month. Invested: CHF 280,000-390,000 over 25 years.
3. Salary increases. The Swiss average annual raise is 1.5-3%. Anyone who funnels each raise straight into the standing order, instead of spending it, gains CHF 200,000+ over 25 years without sacrifice.

More on invisible costs and levers: The True Cost of Investing and The True Cost of Waiting.

5 common savings mistakes in Switzerland

1. Leaving everything in the savings account. At 0.75% interest and 1.5% inflation, you actively lose purchasing power. Savings account: only for 3-6 months of emergency fund. The rest invested.
2. Skipping Pillar 3a. CHF 7,258/year max tax deduction for employed people — immediate tax savings of CHF 1,500-3,000/year. The only Swiss investment with a guaranteed 20-40% return in year one.
3. Waiting for the "right time". Market timing almost never beats automatic savings via standing order. The true cost of 5 years of waiting: ~CHF 281,000 less end wealth at CHF 500/month over 30 years.
4. Lifestyle inflation. Every raise gets translated into more consumption — car upgrade, bigger flat, more travel. Lifestyle creep kills long-term wealth building. Solution: Save the Raise.
5. "I can only save once I earn more." HABE data shows the opposite: some of the highest savings rates are found in middle incomes because habit matters more than amount. Someone who can't save on CHF 5,000 can't save on CHF 10,000 either.

Frequently Asked Questions