Moving to South Africa from Paraguay
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Paraguay to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Paraguay to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 46.5% more expensive than Paraguay overall. A PYG456,437,648 salary in Paraguay would need to be roughly ZAR1,554,753 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.
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 Paraguay to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
PYG456,437,648 → ZAR1,554,753
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 55.6% more
Groceries
pay 25.6% more
Transportation
pay 49.4% more
Housing
pay 94.5% more
Childcare
pay 38.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.9% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Paraguay to South Africa, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
113.140
Paraguay
Key Indicator Comparison
How Paraguay and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Paraguay 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
Paraguay 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
Paraguay 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
Paraguay 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
share of people below the poverty line
Paraguay 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
Paraguay generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: 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 | Asuncion | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/72°F (33°/22°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/61°F (26°/16°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/58°F (25°/14°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/68°F (31°/20°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Asuncion | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 92°/73°F (33.5°/22.8°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 91°/72°F (32.6°/22.3°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.3°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.6°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.7°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.2°/13.1°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.3°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/61°F (26.4°/15.9°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.6°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 87°/68°F (30.7°/20.1°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 90°/71°F (32.3°/21.8°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Dirección de Meteorología e Hidrología (DMH),
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Paraguay 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.
Paraguay passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Paraguay
Visa FreeData: 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 Paraguay?
Day-to-day costs in South Africa run about 27% higher than Paraguay on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 PYG456,437,648 comparable salary, that's around ZAR388,688 in South Africa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
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 Paraguay and South Africa.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Paraguay performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 7.0 in Paraguay. About 37% of people in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Paraguay?
Paraguay 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 38.8 in Paraguay. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Paraguay: 72).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Paraguay?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 83°F in Asuncion. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Asuncion gets 55.2 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 Paraguay, the official languages are Guaraní and Spanish.
Compare further: Paraguay vs. South Africa
At a Glance
PY
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,356,409 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Paraguayan Guarani (PYG) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Guaraní, Spanish | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +595 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 911 | 10111 |