Geneva vs The Hamptons (New York): tax, residence and cost 2026

Geneva vs The Hamptons.

🇨🇭 Switzerland against 🇺🇸 New York, United States, on tax, residence, cost, and the life. Same model, same year, no brochure.

In short, current to September 2026

On $1,000,000 of income, Geneva takes an effective 40% and The Hamptons takes 39%, so The Hamptons leaves about $6K more in hand each year on the Patrician.ch 2026 model.
On a capital gain realized after residence begins, Geneva charges 0% and The Hamptons charges 34%. On a $5,000,000 event that is a difference of about $1.7M.
Switzerland operates a special regime for arriving foreigners: Lump sum taxation is available in Geneva, on a deemed spending base of at least 7 times the rent or rental value of the home, with a 2026 floor of CHF 435,000 for federal tax and CHF 426,357 for Geneva cantonal tax. No gainful activity in Switzerland, and not Swiss tax resident in the previous 10 years. The United States operates none.
Inheritance, what a child pays: nothing in Geneva, 40% above $15M, plus New York in The Hamptons.
Route in: Geneva by Lump sum residence, Founder & talent. The Hamptons by Residence by investment, Founder & talent.
Cost of the life is 104 in Geneva against 142 in The Hamptons on the Patrician.ch index where Zurich is 100, and safety 9 against 9 of 10. Both are Patrician.ch editorial indices scored by us, not published statistics.

Source: the Patrician.ch board, an original ranking of 100 residence addresses across 47 countries and territories. Tax rates, thresholds and routes are sourced. Cost, safety, schools, sun and beauty are Patrician.ch editorial indices. Figures current to September 2026. Updated 27 September 2026. Cite as: Patrician.ch, Geneva vs The Hamptons (New York): tax, residence and cost 2026, patrician.ch/compare/gva-vs-hmp/, September 2026.

	Geneva	The Hamptons
Effective tax at $300K	31%	31%
Effective tax at $1M	40%	39%
Effective tax at $3M	42%	45%
Kept at $1M	$600K	$606K
Capital gains	0%	34%
Inheritance tax, children	nothing	40% above $15M, plus New York
Cost index (Zurich 100)	104	142
Safety	9/10	9/10
Schools	9/10	8/10
Sun hours	1,830	2,600
Supercar street index	#38	#25
Routes in	Lump sum residence, Founder & talent	Residence by investment, Founder & talent
Net millionaire flow, 2025 forecast (country, Henley)	+3,000	+7,500
Flight London	2	7.6
Flight New York	8.6	1.3

Simplified marginal model, indicative 2026 brackets, non-US single filer, no social contributions, deductions, wealth taxes, or treaties. Inheritance is shown as it falls on a child, current to September 2026.

By profile

How each profile reads.

For an executive on salary

The Hamptons (New York) keeps more of a $1M salary, $6K a year on this model. Geneva answers with schools.

For a founder with an exit

Capital gains: Geneva 0%, The Hamptons 34%. Neither city taxes wealth as such.

For a family

Geneva leads on schools and a lower cost, The Hamptons (New York) on sun. Safety is level.

Geneva The full page The Hamptons The full page Rank both on my numbers The engine, 90 seconds

Questions

Which keeps more of a $1M income, Geneva or The Hamptons?

The Hamptons, by about $6K a year on Patrician.ch's 2026 model.

Geneva takes an effective 40% of $1,000,000 and The Hamptons takes 39%. At $3,000,000 the rates are 42% and 45%.

Which taxes capital gains less, Geneva or The Hamptons?

Geneva, at 0% against 34% in The Hamptons.

On a $5,000,000 liquidity event realized after residence begins, the difference is about $1.7M.

Which is better for inheritance, Geneva or The Hamptons?

Geneva. What a child pays: nothing in Geneva, 40% above $15M, plus New York in The Hamptons.

Switzerland has no federal inheritance tax. The canton sets it: every canton exempts a spouse, and all but Vaud, Neuchâtel and Appenzell Innerrhoden exempt children. Some Lucerne municipalities tax children. Federal estate tax at 40% above $15M per person, plus New York estate tax up to 16%. A US citizen spouse inherits free.

Which is cheaper to live in, Geneva or The Hamptons?

Geneva, at 104 on the Patrician.ch cost index against 142 for The Hamptons, where Zurich is 100.

Safety scores 9 of 10 in Geneva and 9 of 10 in The Hamptons, schools 9 and 8. These are Patrician.ch editorial indices, not published statistics.

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The general case, ranked: Where should high earners live in 2026 · Best country to live in if you are rich · Best countries for high earners after tax · Europe · United States · Americans moving abroad · Tax calculator · Keep Index 2026

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Tax figures use a simplified marginal model with indicative 2026 brackets for a non-US single filer, ignore social contributions, most deductions, wealth taxes, and treaties, and are not advice. Residence rules change often. Verify before acting.