Moving to Belgium from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Belgium? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 82.8% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly €118,000 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brussels averages 57°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Belgium cheaper than South Africa?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.3 times more
Groceries
pay 55.8% more
Transportation
pay 20.9% more
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 4.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 83.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Belgium?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → €118,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →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 Belgium cost about 38% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Belgium.
people moved from South Africa to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Belgium compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Belgium performs significantly 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
Belgium 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
South Africa generally does better on environment, though Belgium leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Belgium 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
share of people below the poverty line
Belgium 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
Belgium performs significantly better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Belgium vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Can you move from South Africa to Belgium?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Required
Belgium passport holder visiting South Africa
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 Belgium than South Africa?
On average Belgium is around 83% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
Budget about €29,500 for 3 months in Belgium (based on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
Connectivity is usually fine (Belgium: 44.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Belgium offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Belgium safe for expats?
Belgium performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa. About 62% of people in Belgium feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to South Africa?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. 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. Belgium
At a Glance
ZA
|
BE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 11,941,781 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Euro (€) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Dutch, French, German |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +32 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |