Moving to Yemen from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Yemen? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Yemen, you would find that Yemen is 35.2% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,233,188 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly YER20,908,631 in Yemen to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Yemen.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,233,188 → YER20,908,631
To maintain the same standard of living in Yemen
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 24.8% more
Groceries
pay 91.2% more
Transportation
pay 85.8% more
Housing
pay 8.4% less
Childcare
pay 49.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.1% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Yemen compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
South Africa generally does better on safety, though Yemen leads in homicide rate.
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
Yemen generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Yemen leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
South Africa performs better than Yemen 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 Yemen leads in unemployment 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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Yemen leads in life expectancy.
Data: South African Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa and Yemen. To live, work, or study long-term in Yemen, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Yemen's immigration authority.
South Africa passport holder visiting Yemen
Visa Required
Yemen 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 Yemen than South Africa?
On average Yemen is around 17% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Yemen?
Budget about YER5,227,158 for 3 months in Yemen (based on a ZAR1,233,188 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Yemen?
Connectivity is usually fine (Yemen: 1.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Yemen offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Yemen safe for expats?
South Africa generally does better on safety, though Yemen leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Yemen is 6.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Yemen compared to South Africa?
Yemen generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Yemen, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Yemen scores 42 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What language do they speak in Yemen?
The official language in Yemen is Arabic. 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. Yemen
At a Glance
ZA
|
YE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 30,984,689 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Yemeni Rial (YER) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Arabic |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +967 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |