Moving to Namibia from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Namibia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Namibia.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Africa to Namibia, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Namibia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Namibia 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
Namibia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Namibia performs significantly better than South Africa 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
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Namibia 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
share of people below the poverty line
Namibia 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 Namibia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Inland Revenue Department (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Namibia vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Windhoek |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 84°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 76°/49°F (24°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 87°/61°F (30°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Windhoek |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.7°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.0°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 81°/61°F (27.4°/15.9°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 78°/55°F (25.8°/12.9°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 74°/50°F (23.4°/9.8°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 69°/44°F (20.7°/6.9°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 70°/44°F (21.2°/6.9°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 75°/48°F (23.8°/8.9°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 82°/54°F (27.5°/12.4°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 85°/58°F (29.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 86°/61°F (30.2°/16.2°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 89°/63°F (31.4°/17.2°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Namibia Meteorological Service
Can you move from South Africa to Namibia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Namibia. To live, work, or study long-term in Namibia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Namibia's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Namibia
Visa Free
Namibia 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 Namibia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Namibia has 2.8 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 Namibia safe for expats?
Namibia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Namibia is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Namibia compared to South Africa?
Namibia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Namibia, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Namibia scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Namibia compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Windhoek is 80°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Windhoek receives around 14.5 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Namibia?
The official languages in Namibia are Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga and Tswana. 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. Namibia
At a Glance
ZA
|
NA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 3,092,816 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Namibian Dollar (NAD) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +264 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 10111 |