Moving to Mali from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Mali — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Mali, 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 — Bamako averages 95°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Africa to Mali, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Mali?
Top countries of origin for Mali's foreign-born residents.
- 195,271
- 62,291
- 41,960
- 24,257
- 24,197
- 13,867
- · · ·
-
43.646
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and Mali stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Mali 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 Mali 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 Mali 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 Mali 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
South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Mali 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
South Africa performs better than Mali across all family life metrics.
Data: 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 | Bamako |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 97°/68°F (36°/20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 100°/76°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 89°/71°F (32°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 94°/66°F (34°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Bamako |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 92°/63°F (33.4°/17.0°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 98°/68°F (36.4°/19.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 101°/73°F (38.5°/22.9°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 103°/77°F (39.6°/25.2°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 101°/78°F (38.5°/25.4°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 96°/74°F (35.3°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.2°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 88°/71°F (31.1°/21.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 90°/71°F (32.2°/21.6°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 94°/70°F (34.6°/21.3°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 96°/65°F (35.3°/18.4°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.8°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Mali. To live, work, or study long-term in Mali, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Mali's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Mali
Visa Required
Mali 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
Can I work remotely from Mali?
With 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Mali 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 Mali.
Is Mali safe for expats?
Mali performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Mali compared to South Africa?
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mali leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mali, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Mali scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Mali compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Bamako is 95°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Bamako receives around 39.0 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Mali?
The official language in Mali is 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. Mali
At a Glance
ZA
|
ML
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 20,741,769 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | French |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +223 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |