Moving to South Africa from Aruba
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Aruba to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Aruba 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Aruba and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Aruba performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Aruba performs better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Aruba performs better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Aruba generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Aruba generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: Ministerio di Finansas, Comunicacion, Utilidad y Energia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Aruba 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Aruba
Visa RequiredData: 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?
With 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Aruba and South Africa.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Aruba performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.9 in Aruba.
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 Aruba, the official languages are Dutch and Papiamento.
Compare further: Aruba vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
AW
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 122,320 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Aruban Florin (AWG) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Dutch, Papiamento | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +297 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 10111 |