Moving to Guinea from South Africa

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What to Expect

Considering a move from South Africa to Guinea? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from South Africa to Guinea, 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 — Conakry averages 88°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Guinea.

Living there in 2020
1,201 ↓ 4% vs 2015

people born in South Africa live in Guinea · UN DESA

Who's moving to Guinea?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Guinea compared to South Africa.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZA
24.5
GN
37.4

South Africa performs better than Guinea across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZA
$1,354
GN
$169
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZA
8.1
GN
0.2

South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZA
47.0
GN
94.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZA
6.9t
GN
0.4t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZA
3.3
GN
0.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZA
66.9%
GN
1.4%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ZA
28.0%
GN
5.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZA
$14,300
GN
$4,000

Guinea generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZA
65.3 yrs
GN
63.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZA
25.9
GN
49.6

South Africa performs better than Guinea across all family life metrics.

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.

Pretoria Rain: 27.0 in/yr (685 mm)
77° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Conakry Rain: 146.9 in/yr (3730 mm)
88° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Pretoria Conakry
Jan–Mar 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 89°/75°F (32°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) 84°/74°F (29°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) 88°/74°F (31°/24°C)
View all months
Month Pretoria Conakry
Jan 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) 89°/72°F (31.6°/22.3°C)
Feb 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) 89°/74°F (31.9°/23.2°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) 90°/75°F (32.2°/24.1°C)
Apr 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C)
May 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) 89°/76°F (31.9°/24.6°C)
Jun 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Jul 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) 84°/74°F (28.8°/23.1°C)
Aug 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C)
Sep 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.2°C)
Oct 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.2°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 89°/75°F (31.4°/24.1°C)
Dec 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.3°C)

Data: South African Weather Service South African Weather Service, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie Agence Nationale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Guinea. To live, work, or study long-term in Guinea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Guinea's immigration authority.

South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Guinea

Visa Online (e-Visa)
South Africa passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Guinea.
Guinea passport

Guinea passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Guinea passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to South Africa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Guinea?

Connectivity is usually fine (Guinea: 0.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Guinea offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Guinea safe for expats?

South Africa performs better than Guinea across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Guinea compared to South Africa?

South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guinea leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Guinea, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Guinea scores 40 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).

What's the weather like in Guinea compared to South Africa?

The average high temperature in Conakry is 88°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Conakry receives around 146.9 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.

What language do they speak in Guinea?

The official language in Guinea is French. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.

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At a Glance

ZA GN
Population 57,516,665 13,237,832
Currency South African Rand (ZAR) Guinean Franc (GNF)
Languages Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +27 +224
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111