Corporate Housing in Basel: Pharma Executive Guide (Roche & Novartis)

Corporate housing in Basel means furnished or unfurnished apartments let to companies or their relocating staff, usually for one to three years. For Novartis, the natural choice is St. Johann, next to the Novartis Campus; for Roche, it is Wettstein and the rest of Kleinbasel, around the Roche towers. Families and senior executives who want more space and quiet tend to choose the Gellert, Bachletten, Bruderholz or Riehen.

Basel is a global anomaly: a compact city on the Rhine that hosts the headquarters of two of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. The rental market is tight, with a cantonal vacancy rate of 0.8% on 1 June 2026 and only 0.2% in the Wettstein quarter (Statistisches Amt Basel-Stadt). Unlike Zurich, where employers are spread across the city, Basel's geography is anchored by the physical campuses of Novartis and Roche, so choosing housing is really choosing a commute.

The Tale of Two Giants

• The Novartis effect: The Novartis Campus has turned St. Johann into one of the most sought-after districts in the city, with modern architecture and the Rhine promenade on the doorstep.
• The Roche radius: The Roche towers dominate Wettstein and Kleinbasel, driving demand for river-view apartments on the right bank.
• The Gellert option: For executives who want old-world discretion, villas and park-like streets, the Gellert in the St. Alban quarter remains the classic address.

Zone 1: The Novartis Cluster (St. Johann)

Best for: Novartis staff, young families, architecture lovers.

Once a working-class industrial area, St. Johann has changed completely around the Novartis Campus. It is now one of the most desirable addresses in Basel.

• The inventory: Modern, well-specified apartments in new or renovated buildings, many with winter gardens (glazed balconies).
• The lifestyle: Voltaplatz and the streets around it are full of cafés, and the St. Johanns-Rheinweg is a summer favourite for swimming in the Rhine.
• The commute: Walking or cycling distance to the campus. The French border is minutes away, which also makes weekend trips easy.

Zone 2: The Roche Radius (Wettstein and Kleinbasel)

Best for: Roche staff, urbanites, river-view seekers.

With Roche's Bau 1 and Bau 2 towers completed on the Wettstein site, demand in Kleinbasel, the right bank of the Rhine, has risen sharply. Wettstein now has the lowest vacancy of any Basel quarter.

• The inventory: Some of the city's best Rhine-view apartments, especially along the Oberer Rheinweg, plus period buildings in the side streets.
• The vibe: Historically grittier and more artistic in parts of Kleinbasel, increasingly upscale around Wettstein.
• The commute: A short walk or bike ride to the Roche campus, and one tram stop across the river to the old town.

Zone 3: The Gellert, Bachletten and Bruderholz (Grossbasel)

Best for: C-suite, families, lovers of quiet.

If you prefer a clear separation between work and home, cross to the Grossbasel side and move away from the river.

• The Gellert: The city's most aristocratic streets: detached villas, large gardens and absolute calm, within reach of the SBB station.
• Bachletten: Near the Zoo, with large Art Nouveau family apartments, close to the centre but with a suburban feel.
• Bruderholz: A residential hill with houses and generous apartments, popular with families who want green space.
• International School Basel: ISB's three campuses are in Reinach and Aesch, south of the city, linked by the number 11 tram (ISB). The southern districts and suburbs make the school run noticeably easier.

Zone 4: Riehen and the Suburbs

For families who want a house with a garden, Riehen and Bettingen (still in the canton of Basel-Stadt) offer villas and townhouses, the Fondation Beyeler and quick access to Kleinbasel. Across the cantonal border, Binningen, Bottmingen, Arlesheim and Reinach in Basel-Landschaft are popular with ISB families. Check the tax position commune by commune before you sign: differences between municipalities, and between Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft, depend heavily on income and household situation.

What Rents Look Like in Basel

The Statistical Office of Basel-Stadt publishes average net rents per square metre by quarter, building age and apartment size. These figures are for existing leases, so a newly let apartment will usually cost more. For 4-room apartments, May 2025 (Mietpreisraster Basel-Stadt):

Quarter	Built 2011 or later	Built before 1920, renovated
St. Johann	CHF 26 / m²	CHF 19 / m²
Wettstein	CHF 25 / m²	CHF 19 / m²
Clara (Kleinbasel)	CHF 26 / m²	CHF 20 / m²
St. Alban (incl. Gellert)	CHF 26 / m²	CHF 20 / m²
Bachletten	CHF 27 / m²	CHF 21 / m²
Bruderholz	CHF 27 / m²	CHF 21 / m²
Riehen / Bettingen	CHF 26 / m²	CHF 20 / m²

Average net rent per m² per month, excluding service charges, non-cooperative apartments.

As a worked example, a 100 m² new-build 4-room apartment in St. Johann averages around CHF 2,600 a month net on existing leases, plus service charges.

For corporate budgets, indicative ranges from what we see in the market (not official statistics):

• Unfurnished executive apartment, 3.5 to 4.5 rooms, modern building in a sought-after quarter: roughly CHF 3,000 to 4,500 a month
• Furnished corporate apartment, 2.5 to 3.5 rooms, central: roughly CHF 3,000 to 5,000 a month, usually including utilities and internet
• Villa or large family house in the Gellert, Bruderholz or Riehen: from around CHF 6,000 a month, with wide variation

Furnished or Unfurnished?

Most Swiss apartments are let unfurnished: no furniture, often no ceiling lights and sometimes no wardrobes. For a corporate move, the choice usually follows the length of the assignment.

• Up to 6 months, or the first months of a longer move: Furnished. You arrive with a suitcase, register immediately and avoid buying furniture for a short stay. Expect to pay a clear premium over the unfurnished equivalent.
• 12 months or more, especially with a family: Unfurnished, often with a relocation allowance for furniture. You get more choice of apartments, a lower monthly rent and a home that feels like yours.
• The bridge strategy: Many relocating employees take a furnished apartment for the first three to four months and search for an unfurnished long-term home once they are on the ground.

Our guide to furnished vs. unfurnished renting in Switzerland goes through the trade-offs in detail.

Lease Terms for Corporate Tenants

Corporate housing contracts in Basel follow Swiss tenancy law, with a few points worth negotiating up front.

• Who signs. Either the company signs as tenant and places successive employees in the apartment, or the employee signs personally, sometimes with a company guarantee. Company leases are attractive to landlords because of the stronger covenant, and they let HR reuse an apartment across assignments.
• Deposit. For residential leases, Swiss law caps the rent deposit at three months' rent, held in a blocked account in the tenant's name. Many companies use a rent deposit guarantee instead of cash.
• Term and notice. Unlimited leases can be terminated with at least three months' notice to the contractual or local termination dates. Fixed-term leases end automatically, which suits defined assignments.
• Relocation clause. Ask for a clause that allows early termination if the employee is transferred out of Switzerland. Private landlords are often open to this; large managers less so.
• Subletting and placement changes. If the company wants to rotate employees through the same apartment, write that right into the lease. Subletting otherwise requires the landlord's consent.
• Registration. The employee must register at the new address within 14 days of arrival, so the lease or accommodation confirmation needs to be ready before the start date.

Landlords letting to companies have their own checklist. If you are an owner, our guide to screening corporate tenants shows what to ask for.

The Hidden Corporate Housing Market

Because Basel's workforce is so international and rotational, the city has an active private market for corporate housing. These are not serviced apartments. They are private apartments owned by investors or former executives and let, often furnished, to pharma and life-science staff on one- to three-year contracts.

• The standard: Usually higher than typical Swiss rentals: in-unit washing machine and dryer (not a given in older Swiss buildings), fibre internet ready to use, and quality furnishings.
• Availability: These units rarely reach public portals. They circulate through HR departments, relocation agents and private networks such as Offlist. If you are arriving before your permit card, our guide to renting in Switzerland without a residence permit explains which documents landlords accept.

Conclusion

In Basel, your quality of life is measured in minutes: the minutes from your front door to your desk, and from your desk to your children's school.

Whether you choose the modern pulse of St. Johann, the river views of Wettstein or the quiet streets of the Gellert, the key is access. The best units are often let before the current tenant has packed, passed along through corporate and private networks. Create a free private profile to be matched with Basel apartments before they are advertised.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where do Roche and Novartis employees usually live in Basel?

Novartis staff often choose St. Johann, within walking distance of the Novartis Campus. Roche staff gravitate to Wettstein and the rest of Kleinbasel, close to the Roche towers. Senior executives and families also look at the Gellert, Bachletten, Bruderholz, Riehen and the Basel-Landschaft suburbs near the international school.

How do I find corporate apartments in Basel?

Start with your employer's relocation partner, which usually has access to furnished corporate apartments. In parallel, register with private networks that work directly with owners, and have your employment contract, permit assurance and ID ready so you can sign quickly.

Should I live in France or Germany and commute?

Many people do, as housing across the border is cheaper. For senior executives, though, cross-border tax rules and rush-hour traffic often outweigh the savings. Compare the full picture, including tax at your future address, before deciding.

Where is the International School Basel (ISB)?

ISB has three campuses south of the city: the Junior School in Aesch, and the Middle and Senior Schools in Reinach. All three are served by the number 11 tram, so districts along that line, and the southern suburbs, make the school run easier.

Is Basel better than Zürich for expats?

It is smaller and more intimate. Basel feels like a village with global reach: culturally rich (Art Basel, the Fondation Beyeler) and on the border with France and Germany, which makes weekend travel easy. For a broader city comparison, read our Zurich vs. Geneva guide.