Moving to Egypt from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Egypt — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Egypt, you would find that Egypt is 63.4% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly EGP1,420,000 in Egypt to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Cairo averages 82°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Egypt cheaper than South Africa?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 58.3% less
Groceries
pay 57.9% less
Transportation
pay 65.1% less
Housing
pay 73.4% less
Childcare
pay 65.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.4% 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.
What salary do you need in Egypt?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → EGP1,420,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Egypt
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 Egypt cost about 33% less than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Egypt
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Africa to Egypt, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Egypt.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Egypt 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
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Egypt 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 Egypt 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
share of households with internet
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Egypt leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Egypt 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 generally does better on family life, though Egypt leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Egyptian Tax Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Egypt vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 70°/51°F (21°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 89°/65°F (32°/18°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 94°/73°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 77°/59°F (25°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 66°/49°F (19.0°/9.7°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 69°/51°F (20.3°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 74°/54°F (23.4°/12.3°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.4°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 89°/65°F (31.9°/18.4°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 94°/71°F (34.6°/21.4°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 95°/73°F (34.8°/22.9°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 94°/74°F (34.5°/23.3°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 92°/71°F (33.1°/21.7°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 85°/66°F (29.7°/19.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.6°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 69°/52°F (20.4°/11.0°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA)
Can you move from South Africa to Egypt?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Egypt. To live, work, or study long-term in Egypt, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Egypt's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Egypt
Visa on Arrival
Egypt 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 Egypt than South Africa?
Yes — Egypt is on average about 63% cheaper than South Africa. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Egypt?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly EGP355,000 in Egypt on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Egypt?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Egypt has 11.7 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 Egypt safe for expats?
Egypt performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Egypt is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Egypt compared to South Africa?
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Egypt leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 6.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Egypt, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Egypt scores 70 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Egypt compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Cairo is 82°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Cairo receives around 1.0 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Egypt?
The official language in Egypt is Arabic. 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. Egypt
At a Glance
ZA
|
EG
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 118,365,995 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Egyptian Pound (EGP) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Arabic |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +20 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 122 |