Moving to Cameroon from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Cameroon — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Cameroon, you would find that Cameroon is 21.4% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,218,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly FCFA47,556,161 in Cameroon to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Africa to Cameroon.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,218,000 → FCFA47,556,161
To maintain the same standard of living in Cameroon
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 1.6% more
Groceries
pay 48.3% more
Transportation
pay 21.8% less
Housing
pay 38.0% more
Childcare
pay 78.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.1% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Cameroon
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Cameroon.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cameroon 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cameroon 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 Cameroon leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Cameroon leads in water stress level.
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
Cameroon generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Africa performs better than Cameroon across all family life metrics.
Data: South African Revenue Service, 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 | Pretoria | Yaounde |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 88°/67°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 84°/68°F (29°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 83°/66°F (28°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Yaounde |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.2°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 87°/68°F (30.6°/20.0°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 92°/68°F (33.4°/19.9°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 85°/68°F (29.5°/20.1°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 84°/68°F (28.7°/20.1°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 82°/67°F (27.5°/19.3°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 79°/66°F (26.3°/19.0°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 81°/67°F (27.2°/19.6°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.9°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 83°/67°F (28.2°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.1°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Direction de la Meteorologie Nationale
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Cameroon. To live, work, or study long-term in Cameroon, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Cameroon's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Cameroon
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Cameroon passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Cameroon than South Africa?
No — Cameroon is on average about 13% more expensive than South Africa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Cameroon?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly FCFA11,889,040 in Cameroon on a ZAR1,218,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Cameroon?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Cameroon has 2.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Cameroon safe for expats?
Cameroon performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cameroon is 4.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Cameroon compared to South Africa?
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cameroon leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Cameroon, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Cameroon scores 44 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Cameroon compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Yaounde is 84°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Yaounde receives around 62.2 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Cameroon?
The official languages in Cameroon are English and French. 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. Cameroon
At a Glance
ZA
|
CM
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 29,321,637 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | CFA Franc BEAC (FCFA) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English, French |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +237 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |