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 45.1% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,223,766 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly EGP2,952,043 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Africa to Egypt.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,223,766 → EGP2,952,043
To maintain the same standard of living in Egypt
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 51.0% less
Groceries
pay 48.0% less
Transportation
pay 42.3% less
Housing
pay 72.7% less
Childcare
pay 59.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.6% 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.
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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 poverty 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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Egypt leads in life expectancy.
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 | Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 70°/51°F (21°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 89°/65°F (32°/18°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 94°/73°F (34°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 77°/59°F (25°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 66°/49°F (19.0°/9.7°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 69°/51°F (20.3°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 74°/54°F (23.4°/12.3°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.4°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 89°/65°F (31.9°/18.4°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 94°/71°F (34.6°/21.4°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 95°/73°F (34.8°/22.9°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 94°/74°F (34.5°/23.3°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 92°/71°F (33.1°/21.7°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 85°/66°F (29.7°/19.0°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 76°/58°F (24.7°/14.6°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 69°/52°F (20.4°/11.0°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA)
Visitor Visa Requirements
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 21% 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 EGP738,011 in Egypt on a ZAR1,223,766 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 10.8 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 45.5 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 6.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Egypt, compared to 8.1 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 77°F in Pretoria. Cairo receives around 1.0 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 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 | 57,516,665 | 107,770,524 |
| 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 |