Moving to South Africa from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to South Africa? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 17.5% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥11,948,175 salary in Japan would need to be roughly ZAR953,824 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.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
¥11,948,175 → ZAR953,824
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 11.0% more
Groceries
pay 38.9% less
Transportation
pay 15.3% less
Housing
pay 8.2% less
Childcare
pay 55.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.3% 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 Japan 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
- · · ·
-
56.2,106
Japan
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, 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 | Tokyo | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 Japan?
On average South Africa is about 22% less expensive than Japan, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR238,456 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a ¥11,948,175 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?
Japan performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 37% of people in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Japan?
Japan 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 26.1 in Japan. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 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 Japan, the official language is Japanese.
Compare further: Japan vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
JP
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 124,214,766 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (¥) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Japanese | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +81 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 110 | 10111 |