Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in South Africa instead of Greenland, you would:

Health

live 4.0 years less

In Greenland, the average life expectancy is 70 years (68 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In South Africa, that number is 66 years (63 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 13.3% more likely to be obese

In Greenland, 28.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In South Africa, that number is 31.8% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

make 88.7% less money

Greenland has a GDP per capita of $58,499 as of 2023, while in South Africa, the GDP per capita is $6,598 as of 2025.

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Life

have 54.0% more children

In Greenland, there are approximately 12.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In South Africa, there are 18.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 2.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In Greenland, approximately 8.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In South Africa, on the other hand, 24.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 12.7% more likely to have internet access

In Greenland, approximately 69.5% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In South Africa, about 78.4% do as of 2024.

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be 12.3% less likely to have access to electricity

In Greenland, approximately 100% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023. In South Africa, that number is 88% of people on average (91% in urban areas, and 94% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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Geography

see 93.7% less coastline

Greenland has a total of 44,087 km of coastline. In South Africa, that number is 2,798 km.

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Infrastructure

find 83.3% less home broadband

Greenland has 32.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. South Africa has 5.3 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 34.2% less CO2

Greenland emits 10.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. South Africa emits 6.9 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2021–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Greenland vs. South Africa

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
South Africa is 56.6% cheaper than Greenland overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Greenland is about 1.8 times bigger than South Africa.
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Moving from Greenland to South Africa · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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South Africa: At a glance

South Africa (sometimes abbreviated RSA) is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,214,470 sq km. Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of modern day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments but were defeated in the Second Anglo Boer War (1899-1902); however, the British and the Afrikaners, as the Boers became known, ruled together beginning in 1910 under the Union of South Africa, which became a republic in 1961 after a whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races - which favored the white minority at the expense of the black majority. The African National Congress (ANC) led the opposition to apartheid and many top ANC leaders, such as Nelson MANDELA, spent decades in South Africa's prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts by some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime's eventual willingness to negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 brought an end to apartheid and ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa since then has struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in decent housing, education, and health care. ANC infighting, which has grown in recent years, came to a head in September 2008 when President Thabo MBEKI resigned, and Kgalema MOTLANTHE, the party's General-Secretary, succeeded him as interim president. Jacob ZUMA became president after the ANC won general elections in April 2009. National presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 2014.
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How big is South Africa compared to Greenland? See an in-depth size comparison.

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