Moving to South Carolina from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to South Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 2.6 times more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,262,572 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly $141,014 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbia averages 66°F vs 77°F in Pretoria, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and South Carolina.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,262,572 → $141,014
To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.4 times more
Groceries
pay 2.5 times more
Transportation
pay 17.7% more
Housing
pay 2.8 times more
Childcare
pay 6.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.1 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?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to South Carolina.
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
The numbers behind daily life in South Carolina compared to South Africa.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Africa performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
South Carolina 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
South Carolina performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
South Carolina 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 | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°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 South Carolina than South Africa?
On average South Carolina is around 88% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?
Budget about $35,254 for 3 months in South Carolina (based on a ZAR1,262,572 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Carolina?
From major South Carolina cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in South Africa and South Carolina are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to South Africa?
South Africa performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in South Carolina?
The official language in South Carolina is English. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. South Carolina
At a Glance
ZA
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 4,625,364 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | United States Dollar ($) |
| 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 |