Moving to South Africa from Hungary
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Hungary to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Hungary to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 12.5% cheaper than Hungary overall. A HUF23,793,000 salary in Hungary would need to be roughly ZAR1,000,806 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 60°F in Budapest, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Hungary to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
HUF23,793,000 → ZAR1,000,806
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 25.1% less
Groceries
pay 15.1% less
Transportation
pay 11.5% more
Housing
pay 12.4% more
Childcare
pay 44.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.6% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Hungary to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Hungary 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
Hungary 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
Hungary performs better than South Africa 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
Hungary 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
share of people below the poverty line
Hungary 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
Hungary generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary, 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 | Budapest | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 49°/37°F (9°/3°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Budapest | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Hungarian Meteorological Service,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hungary 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.
Hungary passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Hungary
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 Hungary?
Yes — South Africa is on average about 19% cheaper than Hungary. 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 ZAR250,202 in South Africa on a HUF23,793,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Hungary performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Hungary.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Hungary?
Hungary 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 33.0 in Hungary. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Hungary: 79).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Hungary?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 60°F in Budapest. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Budapest gets 21.0 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 Hungary, the official language is Hungarian.
Compare further: Hungary vs. South Africa
At a Glance
HU
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,699,577 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Hungarian Forint (HUF) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Hungarian | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +36 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 112 | 10111 |