Moving to Slovenia from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Slovenia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Slovenia, you would find that Slovenia is 75.6% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,225,498 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly €102,503 in Slovenia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Slovene. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ljubljana averages 59°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Slovenia.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,225,498 → €102,503
To maintain the same standard of living in Slovenia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.1 times more
Groceries
pay 53.9% more
Transportation
pay 12.2% more
Housing
pay 65.1% more
Childcare
pay 2.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.4% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to Slovenia.
people moved from South Africa to Slovenia · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Slovenia compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Slovenia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Slovenia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Slovenia 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
Slovenia 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Slovenia generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in top income tax rate.
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
Slovenia generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: South African Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Ljubljana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 44°/30°F (7°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 77°/56°F (25°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 48°/36°F (9°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Ljubljana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 37°/27°F (3.0°/-2.7°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 43°/29°F (6.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 60°/41°F (15.4°/4.9°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 69°/49°F (20.8°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 75°/55°F (23.9°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 80°/58°F (26.5°/14.6°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.4°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 60°/44°F (15.3°/6.7°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 46°/35°F (7.9°/1.7°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 38°/29°F (3.4°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Slovenian Environment Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Slovenia. To live, work, or study long-term in Slovenia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Slovenia's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Slovenia
Visa Required
Slovenia 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 Slovenia than South Africa?
On average Slovenia is around 57% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Slovenia?
Budget about €25,626 for 3 months in Slovenia (based on a ZAR1,225,498 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Slovenia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Slovenia: 31.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Slovenia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Slovenia safe for expats?
Slovenia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Slovenia is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Slovenia compared to South Africa?
Slovenia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Slovenia, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Slovenia scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Slovenia compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Ljubljana is 59°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Ljubljana receives around 53.9 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Slovenia?
The official language in Slovenia is Slovene. 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. Slovenia
At a Glance
ZA
|
SI
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 2,101,208 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Euro (€) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Slovene |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +386 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 112 |