Moving to South Africa from Malawi
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malawi to South Africa? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malawi to South Africa.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Malawi 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
-
4.94,119
Malawi
- 67,382
- 63,892
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Malawi.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malawi 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
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malawi 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
Malawi generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Malawi generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Malawi leads in life expectancy.
Data: Malawi Revenue 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 | Lilongwe | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lilongwe | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi 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.
Malawi passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
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?
Malawi performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Malawi.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Malawi?
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 0.5 in Malawi. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Malawi?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 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 Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.
Compare further: Malawi vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
MW
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,794,353 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Malawian Kwacha (MWK) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Chewa, English | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +265 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 10111 |