Moving to Gabon from South Africa

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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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Libreville averages 83°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from South Africa to Gabon, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
11 ↓ 8% vs 2015

people born in South Africa live in Gabon · UN DESA

Who's moving to Gabon?

Top countries of origin for Gabon's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Gabon.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZA
24.5
GA
12.5

Gabon performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZA
$1,354
GA
$673
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZA
7.9
GA
5.2

Gabon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZA
47.0
GA
53.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZA
6.9t
GA
2.0t

South Africa generally does better on environment, though Gabon leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZA
5.3
GA
4.7
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZA
67.6%
GA
0.5%

South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Gabon leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ZA
32.4%
GA
20.1%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZA
$6,598
GA
$8,263

Gabon performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ZA
66.3 yrs
GA
68.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZA
24.2
GA
25.9

South Africa generally does better on family life, though Gabon leads in life expectancy.

See full quality of life comparison

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), General Direction of Taxes (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Gabon vs South Africa

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Johannesburg Rain: 28.1 in/yr (713 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Libreville Rain: 111.9 in/yr (2842 mm)
83° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Johannesburg Libreville
Jan–Mar 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) 86°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) 81°/72°F (27°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 83°/74°F (28°/23°C)
View all months
Month Johannesburg Libreville
Jan 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) 85°/75°F (29.5°/24.1°C)
Feb 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C)
Mar 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) 86°/75°F (30.2°/23.9°C)
Apr 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.1°C)
May 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) 85°/75°F (29.4°/24.0°C)
Jun 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) 82°/74°F (27.6°/23.2°C)
Jul 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) 80°/72°F (26.4°/22.1°C)
Aug 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) 80°/71°F (26.8°/21.8°C)
Sep 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) 82°/74°F (27.5°/23.2°C)
Oct 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) 82°/74°F (28.0°/23.4°C)
Nov 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.4°C)
Dec 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.4°C)

Data: South African Weather Service South African Weather Service

Can you move from South Africa to Gabon?

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

South Africa passport holder visiting Gabon

Visa Free
South Africa passport holders can enter Gabon without a visa.
Gabon passport

Gabon passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Free
Gabon passport holders can enter South Africa without a visa.

Data: 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 4.7 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 Gabon safe for expats?

Gabon performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Gabon compared to South Africa?

Gabon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 5.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Gabon, compared to 7.9 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 71°F in Johannesburg. Libreville receives around 111.9 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 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

Quality of Life Comparison · 21 statistics
Be 37.8% less likely to be unemployed in Gabon
→
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Gabon is 34.7% more expensive than South Africa overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
South Africa is about 4.5 times bigger than Gabon.
→
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At a Glance

ZA GA
Population 64,747,319 2,593,130
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 —