Moving to South Africa from Bahrain
What to Expect
Considering a move from Bahrain to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Bahrain to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 22.2% cheaper than Bahrain overall. A BHD28,000 salary in Bahrain would need to be roughly ZAR948,000 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle, 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 86°F in Manama, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is South Africa cheaper than Bahrain?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 15.9% more
Groceries
pay 6.1% less
Transportation
pay 34.5% more
Housing
pay 42.1% less
Childcare
pay 52.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 54.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in South Africa?
What does your salary buy?
BHD28,000 → ZAR948,000
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to South Africa
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Bahrain to South Africa.
Who's moving to South Africa?
Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.
- 690,243
- 350,463
- 192,008
- 94,119
- 67,382
- 63,892
- · · ·
-
102.197
Bahrain
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Bahrain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Bahrain performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bahrain leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Africa performs significantly better than Bahrain across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Bahrain generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in water stress level.
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
Bahrain performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Bahrain generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance - Kingdom of Bahrain (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017). How we calculate this
Weather in South Africa vs Bahrain
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Manama | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 71°/60°F (22°/16°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 92°/78°F (33°/25°C) | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 99°/86°F (37°/30°C) | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Manama | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/57°F (20.0°/14.1°C) | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.2°/14.9°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) |
| Mar | 76°/64°F (24.7°/17.8°C) | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.5°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) |
| May | 93°/79°F (34.1°/26.0°C) | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) |
| Jun | 98°/84°F (36.4°/28.8°C) | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) |
| Jul | 100°/87°F (37.9°/30.4°C) | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) |
| Aug | 100°/87°F (38.0°/30.5°C) | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) |
| Sep | 98°/83°F (36.5°/28.6°C) | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) |
| Oct | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.5°C) | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/70°F (27.8°/21.2°C) | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) |
| Dec | 72°/61°F (22.3°/16.2°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) |
Data:
Bahrain Meteorological Services,
South African Weather Service
Can you move from Bahrain to South Africa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bahrain 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.
Bahrain passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa passport holder visiting Bahrain
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in South Africa than Bahrain?
On average South Africa is about 22% less expensive than Bahrain, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR237,000 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a BHD28,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Connectivity is usually fine (South Africa: 5.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Africa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Bahrain performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Bahrain.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Bahrain?
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bahrain leads in health coverage index. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 7.4 in Bahrain. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bahrain: 76).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Bahrain?
The average high temperature in Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 86°F in Manama. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year, while Manama gets 2.8 in.
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 Bahrain, the official language is Arabic.
Compare further: Bahrain vs. South Africa
At a Glance
BH
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,600,366 | 64,747,319 |
| Currency | Bahraini Dinar (BHD) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Arabic | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +973 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 10111 |