Moving to South Africa from Israel
What to Expect
Considering a move from Israel to South Africa? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Israel to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 50.8% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪210,139 salary in Israel would need to be roughly ZAR542,237 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Israel and South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
₪210,139 → ZAR542,237
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 64.0% less
Groceries
pay 42.2% less
Transportation
pay 34.4% less
Housing
pay 38.2% less
Childcare
pay 75.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 61.1% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Israel to South Africa.
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
- · · ·
-
42.5,382
Israel
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Israel.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Israel 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
Israel 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
Israel 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
Israel generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa 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
Israel 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Israel performs better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Data: Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority, 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 | Jerusalem | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Jerusalem | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Israel Meteorological Service,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel 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.
Israel passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Israel
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Israel?
On average South Africa is about 55% less expensive than Israel, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR135,559 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a ₪210,139 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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?
Israel performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel. About 37% of people in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Israel?
Israel 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 37.1 in Israel. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Israel?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 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 Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.
Compare further: Israel vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
IL
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,914,885 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Israeli New Sheqel (₪) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Arabic, Hebrew | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +972 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 100 | 10111 |