Moving to South Africa from Benin
What to Expect
Considering a move from Benin to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Benin 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Benin 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
- · · ·
-
99.231
Benin
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Benin.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Benin generally does better on safety, though South Africa leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Benin generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Benin generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in air pollution deaths.
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
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Benin 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
share of people below the poverty line
Benin generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Africa performs significantly better than Benin across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Porto-novo | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | — | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | — | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | — | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | — | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Porto-novo | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | — | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | — | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | — | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | — | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | — | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | — | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | — | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | — | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | — | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | — | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | — | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | — | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN),
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Benin 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.
Benin passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Benin
Visa FreeData: 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?
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?
Benin generally does better on safety, though South Africa leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Benin.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Benin?
Benin 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 2.2 in Benin. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Benin: 38).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Benin?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to None°F in Porto-novo. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Porto-novo gets 47.0 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 Benin, the official language is French.
Compare further: Benin vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
BJ
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,814,460 | 64,747,319 |
| Currency | CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | French | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +229 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 10111 |