Complete Expat Guide to Allschwil

Basel's pharma suburb, home to the BaseLink life-sciences campus and popular with Roche and Novartis staff.

Quick facts

  • Population: 21,500
  • Cantons: Basel-Landschaft
  • Nearest Airport: Basel-Mulhouse (BSL)
  • Airport Distance: 15 minutes by car
  • Average Rent1 Bedroom: CHF 1,300-1,800/month
  • Average Rent3 Bedroom: CHF 2,400-3,600/month
  • Tax Rate: 20-28% (canton Basel-Landschaft)
  • Safety Rating: 9.5/10 (Very Safe)
  • Public Transport Rating: 8.8/10 (Very Good)
  • Language Spoken: Swiss German, High German, English
  • Average Salary: CHF 90,000-140,000
  • Unemployment Rate: 2.2%

Complete Expat Guide to Allschwil

Allschwil borders the city of Basel directly to the west and is the largest municipality in canton Basel-Landschaft. It has become the second gravitational centre of the Basel life-sciences cluster:

  • BaseLink campus: Idorsia, Actelion legacy sites and new biotech buildings
  • Tram 6 direct: Into central Basel in 18 minutes
  • Trinational location: France and Germany both within cycling distance
  • Lower rents than Basel city: 10 to 15 percent below equivalent Basel stock

Living & Housing

Housing splits between the older village core with family homes and newer apartment developments around BaseLink and along the tram 6 line. Neubad, Bettenacker and Ziegelei are the most in-demand neighbourhoods.

Getting Around

Tram 6 runs every 7 minutes to central Basel. Buses cover the residential edges. The A3 motorway is 5 minutes away, useful for weekend trips into France or Germany.