HowToSwiss

Moving to Solothurn

Solothurn • German • Updated August 2026

This Solothurn guide helps newcomers understand the key first steps for settling in the canton, including Gemeinde registration (Anmeldung), permits, health insurance, taxes, housing, and official local resources.

Solothurn is the German-speaking Mittelland canton wedged between Bern, Aargau, Basel-Landschaft and Jura. The cantonal territory is unusually split — two main blocks separated by enclaves of Bern — which gives the canton an odd shape on a map but in practice means three economically distinct sub-regions. The baroque capital, also called Solothurn, sits on the Aare and is one of the best-preserved historic towns in Switzerland. Olten is the canton's rail hub (more InterCity trains pass through than almost any other Swiss station). Grenchen anchors the western watchmaking belt and is home to Breitling, ETA and several other industry names.

Income tax (~CHF 100k)
23.5%
Wealth tax (per CHF 1k)
3.0 ‰
Rent 1BR / 3BR
CHF 1’300 / CHF 2’100
Health insurance avg
CHF 330/mo

Solothurn · free tool

Calculate your income tax in Solothurn

Tax calculator — pre-filled for Solothurn. No signup.

Taxes in Solothurn

At an indicative gross salary of CHF 100,000 (single, no kids), the combined federal, cantonal and municipal income tax in Solothurn works out to roughly 23.5%. Between Bern and Basel — commune taxes vary widely. Baroque old town is a hidden gem. Cantonal child deductions and family allowances apply on top of the federal allowance — for an exact figure for your household, use the official cantonal calculator linked above. Your real tax bill depends on the commune (each sets its own Steuerfuss / coefficient), your civil status, Pillar 3a contributions and any BVG buy-ins.

Calculate your tax in Solothurn Compare with another canton

Top communes to consider

  • SolothurnCapital, baroque old town
  • OltenMajor rail hub
  • GrenchenWatchmaking, affordable

Housing & rent

Solothurn's rental market is meaningfully easier than ZH or BS — vacancy has historically been comfortable by Swiss standards. A 1-bedroom in Solothurn city, Olten or Grenchen is broadly in line with the cantonal averages shown above, with 3-bedroom flats scaling proportionally. The Bucheggberg, the Thal and the Schwarzbubenland (Dorneck-Thierstein) are the cheaper rural sub-regions.

Health insurance

Adult standard premiums in canton Solothurn on the standard franchise are close to the Swiss average. The canton has two premium regions.

Local insight: Solothurn

Solothurn's defining feature is that it is a pure crossroads canton. Olten station is the rail centre of Switzerland — more InterCity trains pass through than anywhere except Zurich HB and Bern — which makes Olten itself an unusually good commuter base: 25 minutes to Bern, 30 minutes to Basel, 35 minutes to Zurich, all by direct IC. The downside of being a crossroads is that the canton doesn't have a single dominant economic identity. Grenchen is watchmaking (Breitling, ETA, Eterna, plus the long tail of suppliers). The capital Solothurn is administration, baroque-tourism and a small medtech cluster. The Schwarzbubenland in the north is functionally a Basel suburb. The Thal in the west is rural. Each sub-region effectively belongs to a different agglomeration — which is fine if you live in the right one for your job, and a long commute otherwise.

Best for

Basel/Bern commutersBaroque architectureJura region

Watch out for

Higher taxes than AG/ZH. Small city feel — limited nightlife and international dining.

First-90-days checklist

  1. Build a rental dossier — Solothurn is one of the easier markets in this region but landlords still expect Betreibungsauszug, three payslips and references
  2. Register at the Einwohnerkontrolle of your SO commune within 14 days (Solothurn, Olten, Grenchen, Dornach etc.)
  3. Apply for your permit at the Migrationsamt Kanton Solothurn
  4. Pick a KVG insurer within 3 months — SO is mid-pack on premiums
  5. Open a Swiss bank account — Baloise Bank and the Aargauische Kantonalbank serve large parts of SO; SO does not have its own cantonal bank since the BKS merger
  6. Get a Libero abo if your daily travel is in the Bern/Solothurn corridor, a TNW U-Abo for the Schwarzbubenland (Basel side), or a GA for cross-country commutes
  7. Above CHF 120k gross, file a regular SO tax return — the canton runs its own e-filing
  8. If you have school-age kids, the Volksschule of your commune handles placement under Lehrplan 21

Compare Solothurn with neighbours

Solothurn vs Basel-LandschaftSolothurn vs AargauSolothurn vs Bern

Frequently asked questions

Why is Olten such an important rail hub?
Olten sits at the geographic centre of the Swiss IC network — almost every long-distance train between western and eastern Switzerland passes through it. For a commuter, that means 25 minutes to Bern, 30 minutes to Basel and 35 minutes to Zurich, all by direct IC. Many Solothurn residents use this deliberately, picking Olten specifically for the multi-city access.
Is Grenchen still a watchmaking town?
Very much so — Breitling is headquartered there, ETA (the Swatch Group movement manufacturer) is one of the canton's largest employers, and a long tail of suppliers fills out the local industry. Watchmaking is a stable, well-paid employment base that has anchored the western SO economy for over a century.
Is the city of Solothurn really worth visiting?
Yes — the old town is one of the best-preserved baroque centres in Switzerland and the cathedral / Hauptgasse / Kronenplatz axis is a small but genuine cultural anchor. The Solothurn Film Festival every January draws a national audience. As a place to live, it's small (about 17,000 people) but well-scaled and walkable.
Do I need German to live in Solothurn?
Yes. The canton is overwhelmingly German-speaking with regional dialect variation (Solothurnerdeutsch in the centre, more Basel-leaning in the Schwarzbubenland). Plan A2 within your first year.
Why does Solothurn have such a weird shape on the map?
Historical accident — the canton's territory was assembled piece by piece over several centuries and the borders were never tidied up. The two main blocks are separated by enclaves of canton Bern, and the Schwarzbubenland in the north is geographically closer to Basel than to Solothurn city. It rarely matters in daily life but explains the strange map shape.

Data is illustrative for 2026 and based on commonly published cantonal figures. Always verify with the official cantonal tax administration before making financial decisions.