Moving to Mongolia from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Mongolia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Mongolia, and you’d need to navigate life in Mongolian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ulaanbaatar averages 44°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Mongolia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Mongolia 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
Mongolia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
South Africa performs better than Mongolia across all environment metrics.
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
Mongolia 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
Mongolia 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
Mongolia generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), General Department of National Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Mongolia vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Ulaanbaatar |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 17°/-5°F (-9°/-21°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 62°/37°F (17°/3°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 70°/48°F (21°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 26°/6°F (-4°/-15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Ulaanbaatar |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 4°/-15°F (-15.5°/-26.1°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 15°/-8°F (-9.6°/-22.3°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 31°/8°F (-0.6°/-13.6°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 49°/24°F (9.7°/-4.4°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 73°/49°F (22.7°/9.5°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 72°/51°F (22.4°/10.5°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 62°/38°F (16.8°/3.5°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 46°/23°F (7.7°/-4.8°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 23°/4°F (-4.8°/-15.7°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 8°/-10°F (-13.5°/-23.1°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring of Mongolia
Can you move from South Africa to Mongolia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Mongolia. To live, work, or study long-term in Mongolia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Mongolia's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Mongolia
Visa Required
Mongolia 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
Can I work remotely from Mongolia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Mongolia has 15.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Mongolia safe for expats?
Mongolia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Mongolia is 5.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa. About 71% of people in Mongolia feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Mongolia compared to South Africa?
Mongolia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 41.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Mongolia, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Mongolia scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Mongolia compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Ulaanbaatar is 44°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Ulaanbaatar receives around 10.6 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Mongolia?
The official language in Mongolia is Mongolian. 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. Mongolia
At a Glance
ZA
|
MN
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 3,568,978 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Mongolian Tugrik (MNT) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Mongolian |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +976 |
| Time zones | 1 | 2 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 105 |