Properties in Basel

The city of Basel is divided into 19 statistical residential districts. This spatial division has existed for over 100 years and is used for small-area statistical analyses.

As an initial guide, Altstadt Grossbasel, Vorstädte, Altstadt Kleinbasel and Clara are particularly central. Am Ring, Gundeldingen, Wettstein and Matthäus can also offer short distances to the centre depending on the address.

Residential districts with direct access to the Rhine include Altstadt Grossbasel, St. Alban, St. Johann, Altstadt Kleinbasel, Wettstein, Matthäus, Klybeck and Kleinhüningen. The actual distance to the riverbank depends on the specific address.

In the market data section, UrbanHome shows current listing data from its own statistical source. These asking rents must be distinguished from official existing-rent and residential-district statistics.

The vacancy rate in the city of Basel was 0.9% as of 1 June 2025. Basel-Stadt counted 1,079 vacant apartments across the canton.

The city of Basel does not levy a separate municipal tax. Taxable persons in Basel are charged 100% of cantonal tax. The official tax calculator is authoritative for the individual burden.

The official “Basel in figures” overview reports 183,564 inhabitants for the city of Basel in 2024. More recent cantonal figures also include Riehen and Bettingen and are therefore not directly comparable.

Besides home size and budget, primary school, childcare structures, playgrounds, green spaces and daily routes are important. The city of Basel has 25 primary schools; childcare structures are available at all primary school locations.

Use MapBS and the cantonal geodata as an initial guide. Also check the specific surroundings at different times of day and night, especially near railways, trams, main roads, the trade fair, the port or nightlife.

Check the floor, top-floor position, orientation, shading, window areas and cross-ventilation. Basel-Stadt has an urban climate concept that takes heat and adaptation measures into account in urban planning.

With a BS licence plate, the resident parking permit currently costs CHF 312, CHF 402 or CHF 492 per year depending on vehicle length. A processing fee is also charged for a new permit. The permit does not guarantee a free parking space.

A move to the city or a change of residence must generally be reported within 14 days. eUmzug is available for many moves; exceptions apply depending on nationality and circumstances.

Yes. Private providers can list properties on UrbanHome free of charge and without registration. This also applies to rental and purchase properties in Basel.

Search several housing cooperatives in parallel and check their own listings, interest lists or application rules. This page provides an editorially verified selection and direct links to the providers.

The Rhine divides the city into Grossbasel and Kleinbasel. The 19 statistical residential districts are spread across both sides of the Rhine and range from the two old-town districts to Bruderholz, St. Johann, Klybeck and Kleinhüningen.

For especially short trips to SBB station, Vorstädte and Gundeldingen are obvious choices. Depending on the address, Am Ring and St. Alban are also very easy to reach.

Rosental is the most obvious starting point. Depending on the specific address, Hirzbrunnen, Clara, Wettstein and Matthäus can also be well connected.

St. Johann is the most direct starting point. Depending on the public-transport connection, Iselin, Matthäus, Klybeck and central residential districts can also be attractive.

Wettstein is especially close to the major Roche sites. Clara, Rosental, Breite and Altstadt Kleinbasel can also offer short journeys depending on the address.

Yes. Monitoring several suitable residential districts in parallel increases your choice. The residential district finder, commute check and life-situation check help broaden the search sensibly.

Respond quickly to suitable offers, keep application documents ready, set up a search alert and do not limit yourself to a single preferred district. Cooperatives and the regular property search can be used in parallel.

Typically, complete contact details, information on income and household and – if requested – a recent debt-enforcement register extract are helpful. The specific property manager determines the required documents.

Yes. Set up your search with location, budget, number of rooms and property type, and save it as a search alert so you can see new suitable listings more quickly.

This varies by provider. BWG Basel does not maintain a waiting list. Wohngenossenschaft Redingbrücke allows a temporary expression of interest when no property is available, and Zimmerfrei also communicates vacant apartments via an email mailing list.

For many cooperatives, share certificates or membership are part of the model. The amount, timing and requirements vary by provider and apartment and must be checked directly with the respective landlord.

In addition to apartments, UrbanHome can also list other property types and parking spaces. What is currently available depends on the active listings.

Bruderholz, Bachletten, St. Alban and Hirzbrunnen are useful starting points for a quieter or greener search. The specific street and its distance from main traffic routes remain decisive.

Altstadt Kleinbasel, Clara, Matthäus, Gundeldingen and central Grossbasel districts are typical starting points for urban living. Budget, nightlife and desired distance from the centre should be checked separately.

The right location depends on where you study. Central Grossbasel districts, Am Ring and St. Johann are attractive for the university and city centre; Gundeldingen or Kleinbasel may make sense for other locations.

Yes. Use the residential district finder and open the desired district, or enter Basel or a specific location in the UrbanHome search.

That depends on the number of rooms, residential district, condition and current supply. Use the budget check as a filter for the live search rather than calculating with a generic average apartment.

UrbanHome asking rents describe properties currently advertised. Official statistics may measure housing stock, vacancies or other periods. The indicators answer different questions and should not be equated directly.

Besides condition and floor plan, also check road, tram and rail noise, sunlight, summer heat, proximity to the Rhine or hillside position, public-transport routes, parking and the actual surroundings at different times of day.

If the budget or supply within Basel does not fit, it may make sense to broaden the search to Riehen, Allschwil, Binningen, Muttenz or other municipalities in the region.

Working from home depends more on the home, floor plan and micro-location than on the residential district. Quieter parts of Bruderholz, Bachletten, St. Alban, Hirzbrunnen, Gotthelf or Iselin can be useful starting points.