Moving to South Africa from Tanzania
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Tanzania to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Tanzania to South Africa.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Tanzania to South Africa, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
25.11,544
Tanzania
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Tanzania to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Tanzania performs 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Tanzania 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
Tanzania performs 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
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Tanzania leads in water stress level.
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
Tanzania generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Tanzania leads in life expectancy.
Data: Tanzania Revenue Authority, 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 | Dodoma | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 85°/65°F (29°/18°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/58°F (28°/14°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dodoma | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 85°/65°F (29.4°/18.6°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 85°/65°F (29.4°/18.6°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.3°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 82°/62°F (28.0°/16.5°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 80°/56°F (26.5°/13.6°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.2°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 84°/60°F (29.0°/15.3°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 87°/62°F (30.5°/16.9°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.3°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 87°/66°F (30.4°/18.8°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Tanzania Meteorological Agency,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Tanzania 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.
Tanzania passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting Tanzania
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 3.3 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 South Africa safe for expats?
Tanzania performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.7 in Tanzania.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Tanzania?
Tanzania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 1.3 in Tanzania. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Tanzania: 43).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Tanzania?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 84°F in Dodoma. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Dodoma gets 23.9 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 Tanzania, the official languages are English and Swahili.
Compare further: Tanzania vs. South Africa
At a Glance
TZ
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,852,892 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English, Swahili | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +255 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 112 | 10111 |