Moving to Lesotho from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Lesotho — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Lesotho.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Africa to Lesotho, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and Lesotho stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Lesotho 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho 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 Lesotho 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
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Lesotho 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
Lesotho 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 Lesotho 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 | Maseru |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 81°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 67°/39°F (20°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 68°/37°F (20°/3°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Maseru |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 84°/59°F (28.7°/14.8°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 82°/58°F (27.6°/14.6°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 78°/54°F (25.7°/12.5°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 67°/39°F (19.7°/3.7°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 62°/32°F (16.7°/0.2°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 62°/31°F (16.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 67°/36°F (19.7°/2.4°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 74°/44°F (23.3°/6.9°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 77°/50°F (24.8°/10.1°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.9°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 82°/56°F (27.9°/13.4°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Lesotho Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Lesotho. To live, work, or study long-term in Lesotho, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Lesotho's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Lesotho
Visa Free
Lesotho passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Lesotho?
With 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Lesotho 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 Lesotho.
Is Lesotho safe for expats?
Lesotho performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Lesotho is 37.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Lesotho compared to South Africa?
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Lesotho, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Lesotho scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Lesotho compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Maseru is 74°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Maseru receives around 25.3 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Lesotho?
The official languages in Lesotho are English and Sotho. 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. Lesotho
At a Glance
ZA
|
LS
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 2,193,970 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Lesotho Loti (LSL) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English, Sotho |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +266 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |