Moving to Chad from South Africa

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Chad — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from South Africa to Chad, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — N'djamena averages 87°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Chad.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZA
24.5
TD
26.4

South Africa performs better than Chad across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZA
$1,354
TD
$130
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZA
8.1
TD
0.8

South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chad leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZA
47.0
TD
95.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZA
6.9t
TD
0.1t

South Africa generally does better on environment, though Chad leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZA
3.3
TD
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZA
66.9%
TD
4.3%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ZA
28.0%
TD
1.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZA
$14,300
TD
$1,800

South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Chad leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZA
65.3 yrs
TD
59.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZA
25.9
TD
65.5

South Africa performs better than Chad 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

N'djamena Rain: 20.1 in/yr (510 mm)
87° / 69°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Pretoria N'djamena
Jan–Mar 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) 87°/63°F (30°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 93°/77°F (34°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) 83°/73°F (28°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) 85°/65°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Pretoria N'djamena
Jan 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) 82°/57°F (27.8°/14.0°C)
Feb 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) 86°/62°F (30.0°/16.6°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) 92°/70°F (33.3°/21.0°C)
Apr 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) 95°/76°F (35.0°/24.7°C)
May 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) 94°/78°F (34.5°/25.8°C)
Jun 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.7°C)
Jul 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.4°C)
Aug 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) 81°/72°F (27.2°/22.4°C)
Sep 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) 84°/73°F (28.8°/22.7°C)
Oct 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) 87°/71°F (30.4°/21.8°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.8°C)
Dec 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) 82°/59°F (27.6°/14.8°C)

Data: South African Weather Service South African Weather Service, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie Agence Nationale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Chad. To live, work, or study long-term in Chad, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Chad's immigration authority.

South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Chad

Visa Required
South Africa passport holders need a visa to enter Chad.
Chad passport

Chad passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Required
Chad passport holders need a visa to enter South Africa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Chad?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Chad has 0.0 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 Chad safe for expats?

South Africa performs better than Chad across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Chad compared to South Africa?

South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chad leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Chad, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Chad scores 29 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).

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

The average high temperature in N'djamena is 87°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. N'djamena receives around 20.1 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.

What language do they speak in Chad?

The official languages in Chad are Arabic and French. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.

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At a Glance

ZA TD
Population 57,516,665 17,963,211
Currency South African Rand (ZAR) CFA Franc BEAC (FCFA)
Languages Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu Arabic, French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +27 +235
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111