Moving to South Africa from Nepal
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Nepal to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Nepal to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 2.7 times more expensive than Nepal overall. A NPR11,273,529 salary in Nepal would need to be roughly ZAR1,928,268 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 your spending power changes when you relocate from Nepal to South Africa. What does your salary buy? NPR11,273,529 → ZAR1,928,268 To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 3.4 times more Groceries pay 83.3% more Transportation pay 89.7% more Housing pay 5.4 times more Childcare pay 2.5 times more Entertainment and Sports pay 56.2% more Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. Real numbers on people moving from Nepal to South Africa, and how the trend has changed. Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents. How Nepal and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. per 100,000 people per year per 100,000 people per year Nepal generally does better on safety, though South Africa leads in road traffic deaths. 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 Nepal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year Nepal generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in air pollution deaths. fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work higher means greater strain on freshwater supply annual consumption — reflects grid capacity share of households with internet Nepal generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person share of people below the poverty line South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Nepal leads in unemployment rate. 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 Nepal generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending. Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nepal 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. Nepal passport holder visiting South Africa South Africa passport holder visiting Nepal Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Day-to-day costs in South Africa run about 51% higher than Nepal on average; specific cities can swing further. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a NPR11,273,529 comparable salary, that's around ZAR482,067 in South Africa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. With 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Nepal and South Africa. Nepal generally does better on safety, though South Africa leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Nepal. Nepal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 8.7 in Nepal. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nepal: 54). The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 77°F in Kathmandu. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Kathmandu gets 56.1 in. The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Nepal, the official language is Nepali. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Kathmandu Pretoria Jan–Mar 69°/40°F (21°/4°C) 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) Apr–Jun 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) Jul–Sep 82°/67°F (28°/19°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) View all months
Month Kathmandu Pretoria Jan 64°/36°F (18.0°/2.1°C) 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) Feb 68°/39°F (20.2°/3.8°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) Mar 76°/46°F (24.3°/7.5°C) 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) Apr 81°/52°F (27.4°/11.3°C) 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) May 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.5°C) 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) Jun 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) Jul 82°/68°F (27.7°/20.0°C) 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) Aug 82°/67°F (28.0°/19.7°C) 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) Sep 81°/65°F (27.2°/18.2°C) 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) Oct 78°/55°F (25.8°/13.0°C) 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) Nov 73°/45°F (22.7°/7.4°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) Dec 67°/37°F (19.4°/3.0°C) 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) 
Department of Hydrology and meteorology, 
South African Weather Service Visitor Visa Requirements
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At a Glance
 NP |  ZA | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,666,598 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Nepalese Rupee (NPR) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Nepali | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +977 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 100 | 10111 |