Moving to South Africa from South Carolina
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Carolina to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Carolina to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 42.1% cheaper than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly ZAR671,520 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 66°F in Columbia, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Carolina and South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ZAR671,520
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 57.2% less
Groceries
pay 48.9% less
Transportation
pay 3.6% more
Housing
pay 56.6% less
Childcare
pay 83.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 46.9% less
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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Carolina to South Africa.
people born in United States live in South Africa · UN DESA
Who's moving to South Africa?
Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.
- 690,243
- 350,463
- 192,008
- 94,119
- 67,382
- 63,892
- · · ·
-
33.7,429
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to South Carolina.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Africa performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
South Carolina performs 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
share of people below the poverty line
South Carolina performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
South Carolina performs better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Columbia | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Columbia | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting United States
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 South Africa than South Carolina?
On average South Africa is about 47% less expensive than South Carolina, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR167,880 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
From major South Africa cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in South Carolina and South Africa are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to South Carolina?
South Africa performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to South Carolina?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In South Carolina, the official language is English.
Compare further: South Carolina vs. South Africa
At a Glance
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,625,364 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | United States Dollar ($) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +1 | +27 |
| Time zones | 11 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 911 | 10111 |