Moving to South Africa from Senegal

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Senegal to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Senegal to South Africa, 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Senegal to South Africa.

Living there in 2020
3,325 ↑ 16% vs 2015

people born in Senegal live in South Africa · UN DESA

Who's moving to South Africa?

Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Senegal.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SN
0.3
ZA
43.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SN
20.8
ZA
24.5

Senegal performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SN
$206
ZA
$1,354
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

SN
1.1
ZA
7.9

Senegal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SN
65.0
ZA
47.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SN
0.8t
ZA
6.9t

Senegal generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SN
4.0
ZA
5.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SN
16.3%
ZA
67.6%

South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Senegal leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SN
2.7%
ZA
32.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SN
$1,955
ZA
$6,598

Senegal generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

SN
68.9 yrs
ZA
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SN
28.9
ZA
24.2

Senegal generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in infant mortality.

See full quality of life comparison

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Direction Generale des Impots et des Domaines (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dakar Rain: 14.9 in/yr (379 mm)
82° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Pretoria Rain: 27.0 in/yr (685 mm)
77° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dakar Pretoria
Jan–Mar 77°/64°F (25°/18°C) 83°/64°F (28°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/70°F (26°/21°C) 72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/73°F (29°/23°C) 79°/60°F (26°/15°C)
View all months
Month Dakar Pretoria
Jan 77°/64°F (24.9°/17.9°C) 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C)
Feb 77°/64°F (24.8°/17.8°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C)
Mar 77°/65°F (25.1°/18.3°C) 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C)
Apr 76°/66°F (24.7°/19.1°C) 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C)
May 79°/69°F (25.9°/20.6°C) 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C)
Jun 83°/74°F (28.5°/23.5°C) 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (29.9°/25.0°C) 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.2°/25.2°C) 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C)
Sep 87°/77°F (30.6°/25.0°C) 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C)
Oct 88°/77°F (30.9°/25.2°C) 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C)
Nov 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.2°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C)
Dec 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C)

Data: Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM) Agence nationale de l'Aviation Civile et de la Météorologie (ANACIM), South African Weather Service South African Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Senegal 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.

Senegal passport

Senegal passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Senegal passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to South Africa.
South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Senegal

Visa Free
South Africa passport holders can enter Senegal without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from South Africa?

Connectivity is usually fine (South Africa: 5.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Africa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is South Africa safe for expats?

Senegal performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Senegal.

How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Senegal?

Senegal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 1.1 in Senegal. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Senegal: 50).

What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Senegal?

The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 82°F in Dakar. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Dakar gets 14.9 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 Senegal, the official language is French.

Compare further: Senegal vs. South Africa

Quality of Life Comparison · 23 statistics
Be 11.9 times more likely to be unemployed in South Africa
→
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
South Africa is 23.9% cheaper than Senegal overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Senegal is about 6 times smaller than South Africa.
→
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At a Glance

SN ZA
Population 18,931,966 64,747,319
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) South African Rand (ZAR)
Languages French Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +221 +27
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 17 10111