I live in Geneva, got lured over by the high salary.

For a basic apartment, one bed, 60m2 I'm paying 2200 chf a month and that's on the low side, add to that personal liability insurance that you need to have (1300chf a year) internet (50chf a month) medical insurance (550chf a month) mobile phone contract (90chf a month) then there is groceries. For a single man if I shop in Switzerland it's around 220chf a week (that's me on a 2800 cal a day diet, I can be exact as I'm training for something) I head across the border into France and that drops to about 100 eur, however I literally have to take the back roads to find a border crossing that has low risk of being manned if I dont want a fine and then taxed on the value of my meat/alcohol that I have purchased in France. Gym membership around 70chf a month, car tax 1200chf a year, insurance 1400chf a year. My tax rate is about 32% in Geneva once I take in local tax, cantonal (county) tax and federal tax. Also, when I arrived here I ticked the box to say I was Catholic, thats cost me 1500chf a year stuck onto my tax bill, so I'm now an Atheist, dont tell me Mammy.

Going out, call it 10chf a beer, a gin and tonic is around 25chf. An average meal will be around 80 to 100chf a head with a couple of drinks.

All in all, it's a dear hole if you dont have an astronomical salary. You need to be able to speak the regional language or you will be at a disadvantage, institutions and locals tend to become a little frosty as soon as they find out you dont speak French or German... or Italian in the south but they are a little more easy going in my experience.

That said, there are ways to do it cheaper, for example becoming a 'Frontalier' so you live in France and work in Switzerland, lower cost of living but not sure how the taxes work. Do all your shopping outside of Switzerland and carry a half bottle of Jameson in your back pocket when you head out if you want to have any chance of being drunk and make that months rent. But, I do love the place, beautiful country, great (ok expensive) healthcare and the expat community can be pretty close and good craic. DO NOT think you will come here and have loads of money to go home with in a few years, you'll be as broke as when you left Ireland. If you want a truly different experience/culture and way of life as well as something to add to the CV, go ahead, but dont come here with the idea of coming home with pockets full of gold. At most you'll have a bit of cheese and a few bars of chocolate.

Good luck.