Moving to United States from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to United States — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to United States, you would find that United States is 2.2 times more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly $158,000 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — New York City averages 62°F vs 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is United States cheaper than South Africa?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.0 times more
Groceries
pay 98.3% more
Housing
pay 3.2 times more
Childcare
pay 6.0 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.2 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.
What salary do you need in United States?
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,200,000 → $158,000
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →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 States cost about 125% more than cities in South Africa.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Africa to United States, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to United States.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
United States 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 States 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
South Africa generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.
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 States 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
United States performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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 States generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Internal Revenue Service (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in United States vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
National Weather Service
Can you move from South Africa to United States?
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 United States than South Africa?
No — United States is on average about 118% more expensive than South Africa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $39,500 in United States on a ZAR1,200,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from United States?
Internet is rarely the blocker — United States has 38.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is United States safe for expats?
United States performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 5.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa. About 63% of people in United States feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in United States compared to South Africa?
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.8 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in United States compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in New York City is 62°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. New York City receives around 49.9 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. United States
At a Glance
ZA
|
US
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 341,784,857 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | United States Dollar ($) |
| 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 |