Should I live in Basel-Stadt or Basel-Landschaft?

Basel-Stadt has higher taxes but shorter commutes and a livelier city centre. Basel-Landschaft (Allschwil, Binningen, Bottmingen, Münchenstein) typically offers lower rent, more family-sized apartments and slightly lower tax — at the cost of a tram or short S-Bahn ride. Most pharma employees start in BS, then move to BL once they have kids.

Can I live in Germany or France and commute to Basel?

Yes — many do. Lörrach (DE) and Saint-Louis (FR) have grenzgänger-friendly rental markets, and the U-Abo / TNW network crosses the border. You'll need a G permit and you'll be taxed primarily in your country of residence with a Swiss withholding.

Why is wealth tax such a big deal in Basel?

Basel-Stadt's wealth tax is among the highest in Switzerland — it's a flat-ish surcharge on assets above the personal allowance and applies on top of income tax. For salaried staff this rarely matters, but for senior pharma execs with equity it can shift the canton choice toward Solothurn, Aargau or even Schwyz.

Do I need German to live in Basel?

Roche and Novartis operate internally in English, but everything outside the campus runs in Swiss German (Baseldytsch). Plan A2 within your first year — Migrationsamt, schools, doctors and Fasnacht all assume German.

When is Fasnacht and do I need to care?

Basel's Fasnacht (3 a.m. Monday morning after Ash Wednesday, the Morgenstreich) is a UNESCO-listed three-day carnival and the city essentially shuts down for it. Schools and many offices close — plan around it in your first February.

Basel-Stadt: moving soon checklist

Basel • German • Updated August 2026

The weeks before your move — paperwork and housing.

Income tax (~CHF 100k)

23.5%

Rent 1BR

CHF 1’700

Health insurance

CHF 410/mo

Basel-Stadt · free tool

See what you'd actually pay in tax in Basel-Stadt

Tax calculator — pre-filled for Basel-Stadt. No signup.

2–3 months before

Confirm your work permit type
REQUIRED
~1 hourFree
Your employer applies for the permit on your behalf. Confirm the type (L, B, G, C) and check it covers your family.
Full guide
Start apartment hunt
REQUIRED
WeeksCHF 0
Use Homegate, ImmoScout24, Flatfox. Prepare a dossier: passport, employment contract, salary proof, ID photo. Vacancy rates in Zurich/Geneva are below 1%.
Research schools (if family)
RECOMMENDED
~3 hoursCHF 0–35,000/yr
Public schools are excellent and free, but in local language. International schools are private and often have waitlists.

1 month before

Book international movers
RECOMMENDED
~2 hoursCHF 2,000–8,000
Get 3 quotes. Customs inventory is required — keep receipts for items < 6 months old (you may pay VAT on those).
Gather essential documents
REQUIRED
~2 hoursVaries
Passport (6+ months valid), birth certificates, marriage certificate, vaccination records, university diplomas. Get apostilles where required.

On arrival

Switch to the 'Just Arrived' checklist
REQUIRED
——
Once you have a Swiss address, your 14-day Gemeinde registration clock starts. Open the Just Arrived checklist.

Want to tick these off and save your progress? Open the interactive moving soon checklist.

Keep reading

Basel-Stadt is set as your canton, so checklists and tools across HowToSwiss now use its rates.

2–3 months before

Confirm your work permit type

Start apartment hunt

Research schools (if family)

1 month before

Book international movers

Gather essential documents

On arrival

Switch to the 'Just Arrived' checklist

Keep reading

All 26 canton checklists