Moving to South Africa from Czech Republic

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Czech Republic to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Czech Republic to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 23.8% cheaper than Czech Republic overall. A CZK1,593,660 salary in Czech Republic would need to be roughly ZAR800,326 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 — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 57°F in Prague, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Czech Republic and South Africa.

What does your salary buy?

CZK1,593,660 ZAR800,326

To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 31.6% less

Groceries

pay 20.2% less

Transportation

pay 8.0% more

Housing

pay 12.6% less

Childcare

pay 55.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 35.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CZK = 0.7679 ZAR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in South Africa cost about 31% less than cities in Czech Republic.

Czech Republic

Liberec 49%
Brno 49%
Plzen 45%

South Africa

Sandton 36%
Cape Town 36%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Czech Republic to South Africa.

Living there in 2020
2,401 ↑ 16% vs 2015

people born in Czech Republic live in South Africa · UN DESA

Who's moving to South Africa?

Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Czech Republic.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CZ
0.8
ZA
45.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CZ
5.2
ZA
24.5

Czech Republic performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CZ
$4,674
ZA
$1,354
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

CZ
42.5
ZA
8.1

Czech Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CZ
33.0
ZA
47.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CZ
7.1t
ZA
6.9t

Czech Republic generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CZ
38.4
ZA
3.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CZ
20.5%
ZA
66.9%

Czech Republic performs better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CZ
2.6%
ZA
28.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CZ
$47,700
ZA
$14,300

Czech Republic performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CZ
79.7 yrs
ZA
65.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CZ
2.4
ZA
25.9

Czech Republic generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.

Data: Financial Administration of the Czech Republic, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Prague Rain: 17.1 in/yr (435 mm)
57° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Pretoria Rain: 27.0 in/yr (685 mm)
77° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Prague Pretoria
Jan–Mar 42°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 83°/64°F (28°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/48°F (19°/9°C) 72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/2°C) 79°/60°F (26°/15°C)
View all months
Month Prague Pretoria
Jan 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.8°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C)
Mar 48°/35°F (9.1°/1.5°C) 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C)
Apr 59°/41°F (15.1°/5.1°C) 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C)
May 69°/49°F (20.3°/9.7°C) 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C)
Jun 73°/55°F (22.8°/12.7°C) 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C)
Jul 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.5°C) 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C)
Aug 77°/58°F (25.1°/14.2°C) 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C)
Sep 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.5°C) 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C)
Oct 58°/44°F (14.2°/6.4°C) 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.2°/2.1°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C)
Dec 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.1°C) 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C)

Data: Czech Hydrometeorological Institute Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, South African Weather Service South African Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Czech Republic 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.

Czech Republic passport

Czech Republic passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Free
Czech Republic passport holders can enter South Africa without a visa.
South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Czech Republic

Visa Required
South Africa passport holders need a visa to enter Czech Republic.

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 Czech Republic?

On average South Africa is about 35% less expensive than Czech Republic, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to South Africa?

Budget about ZAR200,082 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a CZK1,593,660 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: 3.3 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?

Czech Republic performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Czech Republic.

How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Czech Republic?

Czech Republic 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 42.5 in Czech Republic. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Czech Republic: 84).

What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Czech Republic?

The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 57°F in Prague. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Prague gets 17.1 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 Czech Republic, the official languages are Czech and Slovak.

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At a Glance

CZ ZA
Population 10,705,384 57,516,665
Currency Czech Republic Koruna (CZK) South African Rand (ZAR)
Languages Czech, Slovak Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +420 +27
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 10111