Moving to Gabon from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Gabon — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Gabon, and you’d need to navigate life in French. 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 Gabon, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Gabon.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Gabon 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gabon 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 Gabon 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
Gabon generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
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
Gabon 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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Gabon 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 | Libreville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 86°/75°F (30°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 81°/72°F (27°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 83°/74°F (28°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Libreville |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 85°/75°F (29.5°/24.1°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 86°/75°F (30.2°/23.9°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.1°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 85°/75°F (29.4°/24.0°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 82°/74°F (27.6°/23.2°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 80°/72°F (26.4°/22.1°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 80°/71°F (26.8°/21.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 82°/74°F (27.5°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 82°/74°F (28.0°/23.4°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.4°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.4°C) |
South African Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Gabon. To live, work, or study long-term in Gabon, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Gabon's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Gabon
Visa Free
Gabon 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
Can I work remotely from Gabon?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Gabon has 3.4 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 Gabon safe for expats?
Gabon performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Gabon compared to South Africa?
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gabon leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 4.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Gabon, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Gabon scores 49 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Gabon compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Libreville is 83°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Libreville receives around 111.9 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Gabon?
The official language in Gabon is French. 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. Gabon
At a Glance
ZA
|
GA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 2,340,613 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | CFA Franc BEAC (FCFA) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | French |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +241 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |