Moving to Czech Republic from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Czech Republic? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Czech Republic, you would find that Czech Republic is 56.8% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,233,188 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly CZK2,427,877 in Czech Republic to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Czech and Slovak. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Prague averages 57°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 Czech Republic.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,233,188 → CZK2,427,877
To maintain the same standard of living in Czech Republic
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 58.8% more
Groceries
pay 36.5% more
Transportation
pay 18.7% more
Housing
pay 62.0% more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.3% 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 Czech Republic cost about 45% 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 Czech Republic.
people moved from South Africa to Czech Republic · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Czech Republic compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Czech Republic 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
Czech Republic 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 Czech Republic 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
Czech Republic 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
Czech Republic performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Czech Republic 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 | Prague |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 42°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 67°/48°F (19°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Prague |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.8°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 48°/35°F (9.1°/1.5°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 59°/41°F (15.1°/5.1°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 69°/49°F (20.3°/9.7°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 73°/55°F (22.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 77°/58°F (25.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 58°/44°F (14.2°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 45°/36°F (7.2°/2.1°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.1°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Czech Hydrometeorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Czech Republic. To live, work, or study long-term in Czech Republic, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Czech Republic's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Czech Republic
Visa Required
Czech Republic 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 Czech Republic than South Africa?
On average Czech Republic is around 53% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Czech Republic?
Budget about CZK606,969 for 3 months in Czech Republic (based on a ZAR1,233,188 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Czech Republic?
Connectivity is usually fine (Czech Republic: 38.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Czech Republic offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Czech Republic safe for expats?
Czech Republic performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Czech Republic is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Czech Republic compared to South Africa?
Czech Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Czech Republic, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Czech Republic scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Czech Republic compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Prague is 57°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Prague receives around 17.1 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Czech Republic?
The official languages in Czech Republic are Czech and Slovak. 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. Czech Republic
At a Glance
ZA
|
CZ
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 10,705,384 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Czech Republic Koruna (CZK) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Czech, Slovak |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +420 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |