Moving to South Africa from Massachusetts
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Massachusetts to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Massachusetts to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 49.3% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly ZAR569,218 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 59°F in Boston, 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 Massachusetts to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ZAR569,218
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 59.2% less
Groceries
pay 51.5% less
Transportation
pay 11.6% less
Housing
pay 62.4% less
Childcare
pay 88.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 62.0% 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.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in South Africa cost about 59% less than cities in Massachusetts.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Massachusetts to South Africa, and how the trend has changed.
people born in United States live in South Africa · UN DESA
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
- · · ·
-
33.7,429
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How Massachusetts and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Africa performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Massachusetts 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
share of people below the poverty line
Massachusetts performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Massachusetts performs better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Boston | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Boston | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting United States
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 Massachusetts?
Generally yes: South Africa runs about 55% cheaper than Massachusetts 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ZAR142,304 in South Africa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Working remotely from South Africa's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Massachusetts and South Africa.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Massachusetts?
South Africa performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Massachusetts?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Massachusetts, the official language is English.
Compare further: Massachusetts vs. South Africa
At a Glance
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,547,629 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | United States Dollar ($) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +1 | +27 |
| Time zones | 11 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 911 | 10111 |