Moving to Pennsylvania from South Africa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Pennsylvania — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Africa to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 2.8 times more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,262,572 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly $139,677 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harrisburg averages 61°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Africa to Pennsylvania.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,262,572 → $139,677
To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 2.5 times more
Transportation
pay 31.1% more
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 7.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.3 times more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from South Africa to Pennsylvania, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from South Africa to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
55.117,321
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
How South Africa and Pennsylvania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Africa performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Pennsylvania performs significantly better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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
Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than South Africa?
Day-to-day costs in Pennsylvania run about 86% higher than South Africa on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ZAR1,262,572 comparable salary, that's around $34,919 in Pennsylvania for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Pennsylvania?
Working remotely from Pennsylvania's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in South Africa and Pennsylvania.
How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to South Africa?
South Africa performs better than Pennsylvania across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Pennsylvania?
The official language in Pennsylvania is English. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Pennsylvania
At a Glance
ZA
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 12,702,379 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | United States Dollar ($) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +1 |
| Time zones | 1 | 11 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 911 |