Moving to Solomon Islands from South Africa

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from South Africa to Solomon Islands. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Honiara averages 86°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Solomon Islands compared to South Africa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZA
45.5
SB
3.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZA
24.5
SB
11.2

Solomon Islands 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
SB
$153
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ZA
8.1
SB
1.9

South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZA
47.0
SB
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZA
6.9t
SB
0.4t

South Africa generally does better on environment, though Solomon Islands leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZA
3.3
SB
0.1

South Africa performs better than Solomon Islands 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%
SB
1.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZA
$14,300
SB
$2,700

South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Solomon Islands leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZA
65.3 yrs
SB
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZA
25.9
SB
20.0

Solomon Islands performs significantly better than South Africa across all family life metrics.

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

Honiara Rain: 129.5 in/yr (3290 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Pretoria Honiara
Jan–Mar 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) 85°/72°F (29°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Pretoria Honiara
Jan 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/23.8°C)
Feb 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.8°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.6°C)
Apr 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.5°C)
May 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.2°C)
Jun 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) 86°/73°F (29.9°/22.9°C)
Jul 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) 85°/72°F (29.3°/22.5°C)
Aug 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) 85°/72°F (29.4°/22.3°C)
Sep 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.6°C)
Oct 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) 86°/73°F (30.1°/22.8°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.2°C)
Dec 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.6°C)

Data: South African Weather Service South African Weather Service, Solomon Islands Meteorological Service Solomon Islands Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Solomon Islands

Visa Required
South Africa passport holders need a visa to enter Solomon Islands.
Solomon Islands passport

Solomon Islands passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Required
Solomon Islands 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 Solomon Islands?

Connectivity is usually fine (Solomon Islands: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Solomon Islands offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Solomon Islands safe for expats?

Solomon Islands performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Solomon Islands is 3.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.

How is healthcare in Solomon Islands compared to South Africa?

South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Solomon Islands, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Solomon Islands scores 47 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).

What's the weather like in Solomon Islands compared to South Africa?

The average high temperature in Honiara is 86°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Honiara receives around 129.5 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.

What language do they speak in Solomon Islands?

The official language in Solomon Islands 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 SB
Population 57,516,665 702,694
Currency South African Rand (ZAR) Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD)
Languages Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +27 +677
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111