Moving to Nepal from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Nepal — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Nepal, you would find that Nepal is 44.9% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,274,085 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly NPR7,448,946 in Nepal to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Nepali. How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Africa to Nepal. What does your salary buy? ZAR1,274,085 → NPR7,448,946 To maintain the same standard of living in Nepal The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 49.5% less Groceries pay 37.1% less Transportation pay 12.1% less Housing pay 80.9% less Childcare pay 54.4% less Entertainment and Sports pay 29.2% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. How South Africa and Nepal stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. per 100,000 people per year per 100,000 people per year South Africa generally does better on safety, though Nepal leads in homicide rate. 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 Nepal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year South Africa generally does better on environment, though Nepal leads in co₂ emissions per capita. 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 Nepal leads in broadband per 100 people. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person share of people below the poverty line South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Nepal leads in unemployment rate. 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 Nepal leads in life expectancy. Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Nepal. To live, work, or study long-term in Nepal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Nepal's immigration authority. South Africa passport holder visiting Nepal Nepal passport holder visiting South Africa Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Generally yes: Nepal runs about 34% cheaper than South Africa on average, though it depends heavily on the city. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ZAR1,274,085 comparable salary, that's around NPR1,862,236 in Nepal for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. With 4.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Nepal 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 Nepal. South Africa generally does better on safety, though Nepal leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Nepal is 2.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa. Nepal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 8.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Nepal, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Nepal scores 54 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71). The average high temperature in Kathmandu is 77°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Kathmandu receives around 56.1 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in. The official language in Nepal is Nepali. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Pretoria Kathmandu Jan–Mar 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) 69°/40°F (21°/4°C) Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) Jul–Sep 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) 82°/67°F (28°/19°C) Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) View all months
Month Pretoria Kathmandu Jan 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) 64°/36°F (18.0°/2.1°C) Feb 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) 68°/39°F (20.2°/3.8°C) Mar 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) 76°/46°F (24.3°/7.5°C) Apr 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) 81°/52°F (27.4°/11.3°C) May 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.5°C) Jun 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) Jul 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) 82°/68°F (27.7°/20.0°C) Aug 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) 82°/67°F (28.0°/19.7°C) Sep 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) 81°/65°F (27.2°/18.2°C) Oct 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) 78°/55°F (25.8°/13.0°C) Nov 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 73°/45°F (22.7°/7.4°C) Dec 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) 67°/37°F (19.4°/3.0°C) 
South African Weather Service, 
Department of Hydrology and meteorology Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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Compare further: South Africa vs. Nepal
At a Glance
 ZA |  NP | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 30,666,598 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Nepalese Rupee (NPR) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Nepali |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +977 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 100 |