Moving to China from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to China, you would find that China is 9.4% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,223,766 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly CN¥455,611 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Beijing averages 64°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and China.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,223,766 → CN¥455,611
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 47.6% less
Groceries
pay 1.7% less
Transportation
pay 36.0% less
Housing
pay 48.9% less
Childcare
pay 3.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.6% 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.
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 China cost about 11% less than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China 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
China 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
China 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 performs better than China across all environment metrics.
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
China 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
China 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
China 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
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China 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 China than South Africa?
On average China is about 10% less expensive than South Africa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥113,903 for 3 months in China (based on a ZAR1,223,766 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
Connectivity is usually fine (China: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does China offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is China safe for expats?
China performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to South Africa?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in China compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. 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. China
At a Glance
ZA
|
CN
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 1,410,539,758 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Chinese Yuan (CN¥) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Chinese |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +86 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 110 |