Moving to Western Sahara from South Africa

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Africa to Western Sahara — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from South Africa to Western Sahara, and you’d need to navigate life in Berber, Hassaniya and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How South Africa and Western Sahara stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

What are the job prospects?

GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZA
$14,300
EH
$2,500

South Africa performs better than Western Sahara across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZA
65.3 yrs
EH
64.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZA
25.9
EH
47.9

South Africa performs better than Western Sahara across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Western Sahara?

Working remotely from Western Sahara's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in South Africa and Western Sahara.

What language do they speak in Western Sahara?

The official languages in Western Sahara are Berber, Hassaniya and Spanish. 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 EH
Population 57,516,665 652,271
Currency South African Rand (ZAR) Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
Languages Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu Berber, Hassaniya, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +27 +2
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 10111