Moving to South Africa from Cameroon
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Cameroon to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Cameroon to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 9.8% more expensive than Cameroon overall. A FCFA42,180,658 salary in Cameroon would need to be roughly ZAR1,080,317 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Cameroon to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
FCFA42,180,658 → ZAR1,080,317
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 11.8% more
Groceries
pay 19.7% less
Transportation
pay 76.4% more
Housing
pay 2.4% less
Childcare
pay 8.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.0% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to South Africa
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Cameroon to South Africa, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
52.2,974
Cameroon
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Cameroon to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cameroon 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cameroon 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
Cameroon 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
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Cameroon 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
Cameroon 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 Cameroon across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Yaounde | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/67°F (31°/19°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 84°/68°F (29°/20°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 83°/66°F (28°/19°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Yaounde | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.2°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 87°/68°F (30.6°/20.0°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 92°/68°F (33.4°/19.9°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 85°/68°F (29.5°/20.1°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 84°/68°F (28.7°/20.1°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/67°F (27.5°/19.3°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 79°/66°F (26.3°/19.0°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 81°/67°F (27.2°/19.6°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.9°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 83°/67°F (28.2°/19.2°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.1°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Direction de la Meteorologie Nationale,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cameroon 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.
Cameroon passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Online (e-Visa)
South Africa passport holder visiting Cameroon
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 Cameroon?
Yes — South Africa is on average about 11% cheaper than Cameroon. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZAR270,079 in South Africa on a FCFA42,180,658 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 3.3 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?
Cameroon performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.5 in Cameroon.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Cameroon?
Cameroon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 1.3 in Cameroon. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cameroon: 44).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Cameroon?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 84°F in Yaounde. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Yaounde gets 62.2 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 Cameroon, the official languages are English and French.
Compare further: Cameroon vs. South Africa
At a Glance
CM
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,321,637 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | CFA Franc BEAC (FCFA) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English, French | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +237 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 112 | 10111 |