Best Neighbourhoods in Basel for Expats

How to think about location in Basel

Basel's city centre (Grossbasel and Kleinbasel, the two halves separated by the Rhine) is small enough that a work commute rarely dictates where you live in the way it does in larger cities. What matters more is the type of housing you want, whether you need international school access, and how much outdoor space and quiet you are prepared to trade for proximity to the old town.

Families with school-age children often weigh the location of the international or bilingual school they have chosen, since a handful of these sit outside the city in nearby communities. Single professionals and couples working for one of the pharmaceutical or chemical employers based near the Rhine frequently prioritise a short commute and access to restaurants and nightlife instead.

Central and international areas: St. Alban, Gundeldingen and Am Ring

St. Alban, on the eastern edge of Grossbasel along the Rhine, is one of the most sought-after areas for expats. It combines historic architecture, several museums, and riverside paths with easy walking access to the old town, though its popularity means competition for apartments is high and turnover is low.

Gundeldingen, just south of the main railway station, has a more mixed and international population, with a lively food and café scene along Gundeldingerstrasse and generally more available rental stock than St. Alban. Am Ring, bordering it, offers a similar character with a strong concentration of independent shops.

These central districts suit people who want to walk or cycle everywhere, do not need a car, and are comfortable with the smaller apartment sizes typical of pre-war city buildings.

Family-oriented and quieter districts: Bruderholz and Riehen

Bruderholz, on high ground south of the centre, is one of Basel's most established residential areas for families, known for larger apartments and houses, private gardens, and proximity to the Bruderholz hospital and several schools. It is quieter than the central districts and generally further from nightlife, which is exactly what many relocating families are looking for.

Riehen, technically its own municipality but functionally part of greater Basel, sits to the northeast near the German border. It offers a village-like atmosphere, the Fondation Beyeler art museum, and good tram connections into the city centre, and is popular with families who want more space without moving fully outside Switzerland.

• •Bruderholz: larger family apartments, gardens, quieter streets, hospital and school proximity
• •Riehen: village character, strong tram link to the centre, close to the German border
• •Both areas suit families prioritising space and calm over walkable nightlife

Kleinbasel and the up-and-coming north bank

Kleinbasel, on the right bank of the Rhine, has historically been more affordable and more culturally mixed than Grossbasel, with a strong reputation for its multicultural food scene, markets, and independent art spaces. Parts of it, particularly around the Rhine promenade, have gentrified over the past two decades and now attract a broad mix of long-term residents, students, and newcomers.

It generally offers better value for larger apartments than the central Grossbasel districts, while remaining a short walk or tram ride from the old town across one of the Rhine bridges.

The difficulty most newcomers underestimate: apartment scarcity

Basel's rental market, like most Swiss cities, has low vacancy and strong demand in the most popular central districts, which means a desirable apartment in St. Alban or central Gundeldingen can attract dozens of applications within days of being listed. Newcomers who arrive without a Swiss employment history, a guarantor, or fluent German paperwork often find themselves at a disadvantage compared to local applicants, even when their financial situation is solid.

This is compounded by the short timeframes typical of Swiss relocations: many expats need to secure housing within a few weeks of arrival, before they have local references or a full understanding of which district actually fits their daily routine.

Living across the border: France and Germany

Basel sits at the meeting point of Switzerland, France and Germany, and many people working in the city choose to live just across one of these borders in towns such as Saint-Louis in France or Weil am Rhein in Germany. Rents and property prices are typically lower there, and the commute into central Basel by car, tram or train is short.

This choice brings its own considerations around cross-border commuter status, taxation and healthcare that differ from living inside Switzerland, and it is worth thinking through carefully before committing to a country rather than only a neighbourhood.