Moving to Lebanon from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Lebanon? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Lebanon, you would find that Lebanon is 18.7% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,233,188 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly LBP7,915,873,301 in Lebanon to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Lebanon.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,233,188 → LBP7,915,873,301
To maintain the same standard of living in Lebanon
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 22.8% more
Groceries
pay 12.5% less
Transportation
pay 26.1% more
Housing
pay 18.2% more
Childcare
pay 23.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.5% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Lebanon compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Lebanon 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
Lebanon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in adult obesity rate.
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 Lebanon 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
Lebanon 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
share of people below the poverty line
South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Lebanon leads in unemployment rate.
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
Lebanon 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 | Beirut |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | — |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | — |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | — |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | — |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Beirut |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | — |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | — |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | — |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | — |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | — |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | — |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | — |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | — |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | — |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | — |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | — |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | — |
South African Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Lebanon. To live, work, or study long-term in Lebanon, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Lebanon's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Lebanon
Visa Required
Lebanon 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 Lebanon than South Africa?
On average Lebanon is around 18% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Lebanon?
Budget about LBP1,978,968,325 for 3 months in Lebanon (based on a ZAR1,233,188 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Lebanon?
Connectivity is usually fine (Lebanon: 7.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Lebanon offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Lebanon safe for expats?
Lebanon performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Lebanon is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Lebanon compared to South Africa?
Lebanon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in adult obesity rate. There are 26.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Lebanon, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Lebanon scores 73 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Lebanon compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Beirut is None°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Beirut receives around 32.5 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Lebanon?
The official languages in Lebanon are Arabic and 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. Lebanon
At a Glance
ZA
|
LB
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 5,296,814 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Lebanese Pound (LBP) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Arabic, French |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +961 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |