Moving to South Africa from Angola

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Angola to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Angola to South Africa, and you’d need to navigate life in Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Johannesburg averages 71°F vs 82°F in Luanda, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Angola to South Africa, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
47,945 ↑ 16% vs 2015

people born in Angola live in South Africa · UN DESA

Who's moving to South Africa?

Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Angola to South Africa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AO
4.1
ZA
43.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AO
15.0
ZA
24.5

Angola performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AO
$248
ZA
$1,354
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AO
2.4
ZA
7.9

Angola generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AO
60.0
ZA
47.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AO
0.7t
ZA
6.9t

Angola generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AO
0.4
ZA
5.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AO
1.9%
ZA
67.6%

South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Angola leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AO
14.1%
ZA
32.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

AO
$3,129
ZA
$6,598

Angola generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

AO
64.8 yrs
ZA
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AO
32.1
ZA
24.2

South Africa performs significantly better than Angola across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2016–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Direcção Nacional dos Impostos, Ministério das Finanças (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017). How we calculate this

Weather in South Africa vs Angola

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Luanda Rain: 0.0 in/yr (0 mm)
82° / 72°F

Avg. annual high / low

Johannesburg Rain: 28.1 in/yr (713 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Luanda Johannesburg
Jan–Mar 86°/76°F (30°/24°C) 77°/57°F (25°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 83°/73°F (28°/23°C) 66°/45°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/67°F (24°/19°C) 67°/44°F (20°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/73°F (28°/23°C) 76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Luanda Johannesburg
Jan 85°/75°F (29.5°/23.9°C) 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.7°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C)
Mar 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.6°C) 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C)
Apr 86°/76°F (30.2°/24.3°C) 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C)
May 84°/74°F (28.8°/23.3°C) 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C)
Jun 78°/69°F (25.7°/20.3°C) 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C)
Jul 75°/66°F (23.9°/18.7°C) 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C)
Aug 75°/66°F (23.9°/18.8°C) 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C)
Sep 78°/68°F (25.4°/20.2°C) 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C)
Oct 80°/72°F (26.8°/22.0°C) 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C)
Nov 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.3°C) 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C)
Dec 83°/74°F (28.6°/23.4°C) 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C)

Data: South African Weather Service South African Weather Service

Can you move from Angola to South Africa?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Angola and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.

Angola passport

Angola passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Free
Angola passport holders can enter South Africa without a visa.
South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Angola

Visa Free
South Africa passport holders can enter Angola without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from South Africa?

Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 5.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is South Africa safe for expats?

Angola performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.1 in Angola.

How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Angola?

Angola generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 2.4 in Angola. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Angola: 37).

What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Angola?

The average high temperature in Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 82°F in Luanda. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year.

What language do they speak in South Africa?

The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Angola, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

AO ZA
Population 39,040,039 64,747,319
Currency Angolan Kwanza (AOA) South African Rand (ZAR)
Languages Portuguese Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +244 +27
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 10111