Moving to Aruba from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Aruba — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Aruba, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch and Papiamento. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and Aruba stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Aruba performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Aruba performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Aruba performs significantly 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
Aruba generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in top income tax 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
Aruba generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: South African Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Aruba. To live, work, or study long-term in Aruba, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Aruba's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Aruba
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Aruba?
With 17.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Aruba can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Africa and Aruba.
Is Aruba safe for expats?
Aruba performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Aruba is 1.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
What language do they speak in Aruba?
The official languages in Aruba are Dutch and Papiamento. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Aruba
At a Glance
ZA
|
AW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 122,320 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Aruban Florin (AWG) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Dutch, Papiamento |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +297 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |