Moving to South Africa from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 40.8% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$125,240 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly ZAR733,041 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$125,240 → ZAR733,041
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 47.7% less
Groceries
pay 38.2% less
Transportation
pay 26.2% less
Housing
pay 35.8% less
Childcare
pay 71.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.2% 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?
How many people actually move from New Zealand 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
- · · ·
-
47.3,777
New Zealand
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand 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
New Zealand performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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
New Zealand generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Wellington | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting New Zealand
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 New Zealand?
Yes — South Africa is on average about 40% cheaper than New Zealand. 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 ZAR183,260 in South Africa on a NZ$125,240 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
New Zealand performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
Compare further: New Zealand vs. South Africa
At a Glance
NZ
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,053,004 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | New Zealand Dollar (NZ$) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +64 | +27 |
| Time zones | 5 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 111 | 10111 |