Moving to Peru from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Peru? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Peru, you would find that Peru is 21.6% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly PEN197,000 in Peru to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Peru cheaper than South Africa?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 40.6% less
Groceries
pay 10.4% less
Transportation
pay 25.9% less
Housing
pay 26.2% less
Childcare
pay 0.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Peru?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → PEN197,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Peru
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Peru
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Peru.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Peru compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Peru 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
Peru 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
Peru 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
Peru 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
Peru 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
Peru 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), Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Peru vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 66°/58°F (19°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Lima |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú
Can you move from South Africa to Peru?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Peru. To live, work, or study long-term in Peru, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Peru's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Peru
Visa Free
Peru 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 Peru than South Africa?
On average Peru is about 22% less expensive than South Africa, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Peru?
Budget about PEN49,250 for 3 months in Peru (based on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Peru?
Connectivity is usually fine (Peru: 11.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Peru offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Peru safe for expats?
Peru performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Peru is 8.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa. About 39% of people in Peru feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Peru compared to South Africa?
Peru generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 16.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Peru, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Peru scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Peru compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Lima is 72°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Lima receives around 0.5 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Peru?
The official languages in Peru are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. 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. Peru
At a Glance
ZA
|
PE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 34,576,665 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Aymara, Quechua, Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +51 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 105 |