Moving to South Africa from North Carolina
What to Expect
Considering a move from North Carolina to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from North Carolina to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 44.3% cheaper than North Carolina. A $75,000 salary in North Carolina would need to be roughly ZAR672,261 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 67°F in Asheville, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between North Carolina and South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ZAR672,261
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 51.8% less
Groceries
pay 50.0% less
Transportation
pay 7.9% less
Housing
pay 55.8% less
Childcare
pay 85.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 52.3% 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 49% less than cities in North Carolina.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from North Carolina to South Africa.
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
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to North Carolina.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Africa performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
North Carolina 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
North Carolina performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
North Carolina 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 | Asheville | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Asheville | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°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 North Carolina?
On average South Africa is about 47% less expensive than North Carolina, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR168,065 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
From major South Africa cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in North Carolina and South Africa are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to North Carolina?
South Africa performs significantly better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to North Carolina?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 67°F in Asheville. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Asheville gets 37.0 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In North Carolina, the official language is English.
Compare further: North Carolina vs. South Africa
At a Glance
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,535,483 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | United States Dollar ($) | 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 |