An Expat Talks about Moving to Basel, Switzerland

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Basel

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

1. More lamps (you can use european light bulbs)

2. A multisystem tv purchased on the internet and 220 appliances.

3. A videocam system to see my family.

wish I had left at home...

1. All electrical appliances that I thought I could easily convert.

2. My rugs...you can purchase great ones in Turkey and they were damaged in the move.

3. My favorite glass items..they were broken.

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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

Make sure you visit the apartment first and bring your US furniture with you and as much US things as possible to save yourself money.

Be careful about furniture fitting up stairways.

Be careful about silly rules...no flushing of toilets or taking showers during certain hours, etc.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

A multi-level city apartment in the center of town. No. It is hard to find an apartment like this. They are highly desirable and usually are taken by Swiss citizens.

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

I used a relocation agent who showed me multiple neighborhoods and described pros/cons.

I then asked colleagues what they thought and went for their recommendations.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Higher, but an apartment like I had in NYC would have been much more expensive.

$3000 per month plus utilities for a two bedroom apartment.