Moving to Taiwan from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Taiwan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 50.8% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,274,085 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly NT$3,299,974 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Africa to Taiwan.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,274,085 → NT$3,299,974
To maintain the same standard of living in Taiwan
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 17.3% less
Groceries
pay 97.8% more
Transportation
pay 0.7% more
Housing
pay 24.0% less
Childcare
pay 3.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 32.2% 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.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Taiwan cost about 32% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Taiwan.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Taiwan 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
share of people below the poverty line
Taiwan 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Taiwan performs significantly better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Data: South African Revenue Service, The World Factbook
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Taiwan. To live, work, or study long-term in Taiwan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Taiwan's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Taiwan
Visa Required
Taiwan passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Taiwan than South Africa?
No — Taiwan is on average about 38% more expensive than South Africa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Taiwan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly NT$824,994 in Taiwan on a ZAR1,274,085 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Taiwan?
Usually fine from major cities in Taiwan. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
What language do they speak in Taiwan?
The official language in Taiwan is Chinese. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Taiwan
At a Glance
ZA
|
TW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 23,580,712 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | New Taiwan Dollar (NT$) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Chinese |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +886 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 110 |