Moving to South Africa from Canada
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Canada to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 40.8% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$103,526 salary in Canada would need to be roughly ZAR664,849 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Canada to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
CA$103,526 → ZAR664,849
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 48.6% less
Groceries
pay 45.4% less
Transportation
pay 13.6% less
Housing
pay 47.6% less
Childcare
pay 71.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.8% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Canada 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
- · · ·
-
35.6,859
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, 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 | Ottawa | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Canada
Visa RequiredData: 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 Canada?
Yes — South Africa is on average about 45% cheaper than Canada. 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 ZAR166,212 in South Africa on a CA$103,526 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Canada performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada. About 37% of people in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Canada?
Canada generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 25.0 in Canada. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
Compare further: Canada vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
CA
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,232,593 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Canadian Dollar (CA$) | 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 | +1 | +27 |
| Time zones | 6 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 911 | 10111 |