Moving to India from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to India — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to India, you would find that India is 66.0% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly ₹2,350,000 in India to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is India cheaper than South Africa?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 68.1% less
Groceries
pay 57.1% less
Transportation
pay 62.7% less
Housing
pay 75.0% less
Childcare
pay 71.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 40.0% 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.
What salary do you need in India?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → ₹2,350,000
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in India cost about 55% less than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and India stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
India 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
India 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 India 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 India 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
India generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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 India leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016), The World Factbook (2011). How we calculate this
Weather in India vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
India Meteorological Department
Can you move from South Africa to India?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India 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 India than South Africa?
Generally yes: India runs about 66% cheaper than South Africa on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to India?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary, that's around ₹587,500 in India for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
With 3.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, India can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in South Africa and India.
Is India safe for expats?
India performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in India compared to South Africa?
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in India compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. 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. India
At a Glance
ZA
|
IN
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 1,463,865,525 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Indian Rupee (₹) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English, Hindi, Tamil |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +91 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |