Moving to South Africa from Tennessee
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Tennessee to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Tennessee to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 43.2% cheaper than Tennessee. A $75,000 salary in Tennessee would need to be roughly ZAR689,550 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Tennessee to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ZAR689,550
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 56.3% less
Groceries
pay 45.9% less
Transportation
pay 7.0% more
Housing
pay 58.2% less
Childcare
pay 82.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.3% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Tennessee to South Africa, and how the trend has changed.
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
How Tennessee and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Africa performs significantly better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Tennessee 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
Tennessee performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Tennessee 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 | Nashville | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/33°F (12°/1°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 87°/66°F (30°/19°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 60°/40°F (16°/4°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nashville | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/28°F (8.3°/-2.0°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 52°/32°F (11.0°/-0.2°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 61°/39°F (16.1°/3.9°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.6°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 78°/57°F (25.7°/13.8°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 86°/65°F (30.0°/18.6°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 89°/68°F (31.7°/20.2°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 82°/61°F (28.0°/15.9°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.4°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 60°/39°F (15.7°/4.1°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.4°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 Tennessee?
Generally yes: South Africa runs about 45% cheaper than Tennessee on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ZAR172,388 in South Africa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Working remotely from South Africa's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Tennessee and South Africa.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Tennessee?
South Africa performs significantly better than Tennessee across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Tennessee?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 70°F in Nashville. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Nashville gets 47.2 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Tennessee, the official language is English.
Compare further: Tennessee vs. South Africa
At a Glance
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,346,105 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | United States Dollar ($) | 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 |