Moving to South Africa from Iceland
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iceland to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iceland to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 59.3% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,402,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly ZAR380,447 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 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Iceland to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,402,000 → ZAR380,447
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 69.5% less
Groceries
pay 58.9% less
Transportation
pay 49.6% less
Housing
pay 46.5% less
Childcare
pay 67.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 68.6% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iceland to South Africa, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
134.34
Iceland
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iceland and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland 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
Iceland 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
Iceland 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
share of households with internet
Iceland 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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in top income tax rate.
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
Iceland performs better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of Internal Revenue, 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 | Reykjavik | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.
Iceland passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Iceland
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 Iceland?
Generally yes: South Africa runs about 69% cheaper than Iceland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ISK9,402,000 comparable salary, that's around ZAR95,112 in South Africa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
With 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Iceland and South Africa.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Iceland performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland. About 37% of people in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Iceland?
Iceland 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 45.2 in Iceland. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 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 Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
Compare further: Iceland vs. South Africa
At a Glance
IS
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 357,603 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Icelandic Króna (ISK) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Icelandic | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +354 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 112 | 10111 |