Moving to Saint Lucia from South Africa

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What to Expect

Considering a move from South Africa to Saint Lucia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from South Africa to Saint Lucia.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Saint Lucia.

Living there in 2020
3 ↓ 40% vs 2015

people born in South Africa live in Saint Lucia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Saint Lucia?

Top countries of origin for Saint Lucia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Saint Lucia compared to South Africa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZA
45.5
LC
36.7
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

ZA
37%
LC
86%

Saint Lucia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZA
$1,354
LC
$1,228
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ZA
8.1
LC
6.5

Saint Lucia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZA
47.0
LC
20.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZA
6.9t
LC
1.7t

Saint Lucia performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZA
3.3
LC
10.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZA
66.9%
LC
14.3%

Saint Lucia performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ZA
28.0%
LC
11.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZA
$14,300
LC
$22,700

Saint Lucia generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZA
65.3 yrs
LC
79.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZA
25.9
LC
12.0

Saint Lucia generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Pretoria Rain: 27.0 in/yr (685 mm)
77° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Castries Rain: 0.0 in/yr (0 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Pretoria Castries
Jan–Mar 83°/64°F (28°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/47°F (22°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/15°C)
View all months
Month Pretoria Castries
Jan 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C)
Feb 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C)
Apr 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C)
May 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C)
Jun 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C)
Jul 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C)
Aug 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C)
Sep 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C)
Oct 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C)
Dec 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C)

Data: South African Weather Service South African Weather Service, Saint Lucia Meteorological Services Saint Lucia Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Saint Lucia. To live, work, or study long-term in Saint Lucia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Saint Lucia's immigration authority.

South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Saint Lucia

Visa Free
South Africa passport holders can enter Saint Lucia without a visa.
Saint Lucia passport

Saint Lucia passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Required
Saint Lucia passport holders need a visa to enter South Africa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Saint Lucia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Saint Lucia: 10.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Saint Lucia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Saint Lucia safe for expats?

Saint Lucia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saint Lucia is 36.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa. About 86% of people in Saint Lucia feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Saint Lucia compared to South Africa?

Saint Lucia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 6.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Saint Lucia, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Saint Lucia scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).

What's the weather like in Saint Lucia compared to South Africa?

The average high temperature in Castries is None°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Castries receives around 0.0 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.

What language do they speak in Saint Lucia?

The official language in Saint Lucia is English. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.

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At a Glance

ZA LC
Population 57,516,665 167,122
Currency South African Rand (ZAR) East Caribbean Dollar (EC$)
Languages Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +27 +1758
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111