Moving to Eritrea from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Eritrea — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Eritrea. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Africa to Eritrea, based on official data.
Who's moving to Eritrea?
Top countries of origin for Eritrea's foreign-born residents.
- 2,156
- 1,474
- 1,331
- 966
- 913
- 673
- · · ·
-
17.106
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Eritrea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Eritrea 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
Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Eritrea 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 Eritrea leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Eritrea leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Eritrea leads in life expectancy.
Data: 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 | Asmara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 75°/44°F (24°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 77°/51°F (25°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 72°/51°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 71°/46°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Asmara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 73°/42°F (22.6°/5.6°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 75°/44°F (23.9°/6.7°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 77°/47°F (25.1°/8.5°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 76°/50°F (24.5°/9.9°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 77°/52°F (25.2°/10.9°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 77°/52°F (25.1°/11.2°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 71°/53°F (21.6°/11.4°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 74°/48°F (23.2°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 71°/48°F (21.8°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 71°/46°F (21.6°/7.5°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 71°/43°F (21.7°/6.2°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Civil Aviation Authority
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Eritrea. To live, work, or study long-term in Eritrea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Eritrea's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Eritrea
Visa Required
Eritrea passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Eritrea?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Eritrea has 0.2 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 Eritrea safe for expats?
Eritrea performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Eritrea is 14.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Eritrea compared to South Africa?
Eritrea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Eritrea, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Eritrea scores 45 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Eritrea compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Asmara is 74°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Asmara receives around 20.9 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Eritrea?
The official languages in Eritrea are Arabic, English and Tigrinya. 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. Eritrea
At a Glance
ZA
|
ER
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 6,209,262 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Eritrean Nakfa (ERN) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Arabic, English, Tigrinya |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +291 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |