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, you would find that South Africa is 53.6% more expensive than Tanzania overall. A TZS200,000,000 salary in Tanzania would need to be roughly ZAR1,920,000 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Johannesburg averages 71°F vs 87°F in Dar Es Salaam, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is South Africa cheaper than Tanzania?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 78.4% more
Groceries
pay 28.8% more
Transportation
pay 73.8% more
Housing
pay 78.9% more
Childcare
pay 59.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.3% 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 South Africa?
What does your salary buy?
TZS200,000,000 → ZAR1,920,000
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to South Africa
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
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
share of adults with obesity
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
share of households with internet
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
share of people below the poverty line
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.
Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Tanzania Revenue Authority (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017). How we calculate this
Weather in South Africa vs Tanzania
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dar Es Salaam | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 86°/70°F (30°/21°C) | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/65°F (30°/18°C) | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/70°F (31°/21°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dar Es Salaam | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.5°C) | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 90°/74°F (32.4°/23.3°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) |
| Mar | 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 87°/72°F (30.7°/22.4°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) |
| May | 86°/70°F (29.8°/21.3°C) | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) |
| Jun | 85°/67°F (29.3°/19.2°C) | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) |
| Jul | 84°/65°F (28.9°/18.2°C) | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) |
| Aug | 85°/65°F (29.4°/18.1°C) | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) |
| Sep | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.4°C) | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) |
| Oct | 88°/67°F (30.9°/19.7°C) | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) |
| Nov | 89°/70°F (31.4°/21.3°C) | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.6°/22.8°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) |
Data:
Tanzania Meteorological Agency,
South African Weather Service
Can you move from Tanzania to South Africa?
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
Is it cheaper to live in South Africa than Tanzania?
No — South Africa is on average about 54% more expensive than Tanzania. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZAR480,000 in South Africa on a TZS200,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 5.3 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 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 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 7.9 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 Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 87°F in Dar Es Salaam. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year, while Dar Es Salaam gets 45.3 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 Tanzania, the official languages are English and Swahili.
Compare further: Tanzania vs. South Africa
At a Glance
TZ
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,545,865 | 64,747,319 |
| 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 |