Moving to South Africa from Texas
What to Expect
Considering a move from Texas to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Texas to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 47.9% cheaper than Texas. A $75,000 salary in Texas would need to be roughly ZAR648,000 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 ↓Is South Africa cheaper than Texas?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 47.7% less
Groceries
pay 42.3% less
Transportation
pay 5.5% more
Housing
pay 62.3% less
Childcare
pay 81.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.8% 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.
What salary do you need in South Africa?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ZAR648,000
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in South Africa cost about 34% less than cities in Texas.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Texas 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 Texas.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Africa performs significantly better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Texas 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
Texas performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Texas performs better than South Africa across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in South Africa vs Texas
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Houston | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 67°/48°F (20°/9°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 86°/67°F (30°/19°C) | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 93°/73°F (34°/23°C) | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/53°F (23°/11°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Houston | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°/43°F (17.2°/6.2°C) | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 66°/47°F (19.1°/8.1°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) |
| Mar | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.4°C) | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.4°/15.2°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) |
| May | 86°/68°F (30.2°/19.8°C) | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) |
| Jun | 91°/73°F (33.0°/22.9°C) | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) |
| Jul | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.9°C) | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) |
| Aug | 94°/75°F (34.7°/23.8°C) | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) |
| Sep | 90°/70°F (32.1°/21.0°C) | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) |
| Oct | 82°/61°F (27.8°/16.1°C) | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) |
| Nov | 72°/52°F (22.5°/11.2°C) | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) |
| Dec | 64°/45°F (17.9°/7.0°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
South African Weather Service
Can you move from Texas to South Africa?
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 Texas?
On average South Africa is about 48% less expensive than Texas, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Budget about ZAR162,000 for 3 months in South Africa (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
From major South Africa cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Texas and South Africa are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Texas?
South Africa performs significantly better than Texas across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Texas?
The average high temperature in Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 80°F in Houston. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year, while Houston gets 49.8 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Texas, the official language is English.
Compare further: Texas vs. South Africa
At a Glance
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,709,821 | 64,747,319 |
| Currency | United States Dollar ($) | 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 |