Moving to United Kingdom from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to United Kingdom? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 2.7 times more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,223,766 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly £113,069 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°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 United Kingdom.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,223,766 → £113,069
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.1 times more
Groceries
pay 54.7% more
Transportation
pay 82.2% more
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 6.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.1 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.
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 United Kingdom cost about 82% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Africa to United Kingdom.
people moved from South Africa to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United Kingdom compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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
share of households with internet
United Kingdom 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
South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in unemployment 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
United Kingdom 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 | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
South African Weather Service
Met OfficeVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Visa Online (e-Visa)
United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom than South Africa?
On average United Kingdom is around 102% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
Budget about £28,267 for 3 months in United Kingdom (based on a ZAR1,223,766 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?
Connectivity is usually fine (United Kingdom: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United Kingdom offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United Kingdom safe for expats?
United Kingdom performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to South Africa?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
The official language in United Kingdom 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. United Kingdom
At a Glance
ZA
|
GB
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 67,791,400 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | British Pound Sterling (£) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +44 |
| Time zones | 1 | 9 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 999 |