Moving to South Africa from Mexico
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Mexico to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Mexico to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 11.3% cheaper than Mexico overall. A MX$1,310,130 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly ZAR990,467 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.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Mexico to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
MX$1,310,130 → ZAR990,467
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 23.7% less
Groceries
pay 27.6% less
Transportation
pay 7.8% more
Housing
pay 15.9% more
Childcare
pay 27.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.8% 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 22% less than cities in Mexico.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Mexico to South Africa, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
91.343
Mexico
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Mexico to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Mexico 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
Mexico 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
Mexico 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
share of households with internet
Mexico generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
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
Mexico generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in poverty 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
Mexico generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP, 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 | Mexico City | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico 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.
Mexico passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Online (e-Visa)
South Africa passport holder visiting Mexico
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 Mexico?
Yes — South Africa is on average about 19% cheaper than Mexico. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZAR247,617 in South Africa on a MX$1,310,130 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Mexico performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 26.1 in Mexico. About 37% of people in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Mexico?
Mexico generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 25.6 in Mexico. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mexico: 75).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Mexico, the official language is Spanish.
Compare further: Mexico vs. South Africa
More relocation comparisons
At a Glance
MX
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 129,150,971 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Mexican Peso (MX$) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Spanish | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +52 | +27 |
| Time zones | 3 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 911 | 10111 |