Moving to Kuwait from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Kuwait — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Kuwait, you would find that Kuwait is 21.5% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,217,362 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly KWD30,209 in Kuwait to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuwait City averages 94°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Africa to Kuwait.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,217,362 → KWD30,209
To maintain the same standard of living in Kuwait
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 13.3% less
Groceries
pay 2.6% less
Transportation
pay 11.8% more
Housing
pay 22.5% more
Childcare
pay 45.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 94.4% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Kuwait
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and Kuwait stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait 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
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa 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 Kuwait leads in air pollution deaths.
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 Kuwait 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
Kuwait 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
Kuwait generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
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 | Kuwait City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Kuwait City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Kuwait. To live, work, or study long-term in Kuwait, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kuwait's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Kuwait
Visa Required
Kuwait 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
Is it cheaper to live in Kuwait than South Africa?
Day-to-day costs in Kuwait run about 29% higher than South Africa on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Kuwait?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ZAR1,217,362 comparable salary, that's around KWD7,552 in Kuwait for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kuwait?
With 1.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kuwait 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 Kuwait.
Is Kuwait safe for expats?
Kuwait performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kuwait is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Kuwait compared to South Africa?
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Kuwait, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Kuwait scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Kuwait compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Kuwait City is 94°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Kuwait City receives around 4.6 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Kuwait?
The official language in Kuwait is Arabic. 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. Kuwait
At a Glance
ZA
|
KW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 3,068,155 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Arabic |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +965 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |