Moving to South Africa from Uganda

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Uganda to South Africa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Uganda to South Africa. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Johannesburg averages 71°F vs 82°F in Kampala, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Uganda to South Africa.

Living there in 2020
5,852 ↑ 16% vs 2015

people born in Uganda live in South Africa · UN DESA

Who's moving to South Africa?

Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in South Africa compared to Uganda.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

UG
9.0
ZA
43.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UG
16.0
ZA
24.5

Uganda performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

UG
$139
ZA
$1,354
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

UG
1.9
ZA
7.9

Uganda generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

UG
60.0
ZA
47.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UG
0.2t
ZA
6.9t

Uganda generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

UG
0.2
ZA
5.3
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UG
5.8%
ZA
67.6%

South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Uganda leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

UG
2.8%
ZA
32.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

UG
$1,206
ZA
$6,598

Uganda generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

UG
68.5 yrs
ZA
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UG
35.9
ZA
24.2

South Africa generally does better on family life, though Uganda leads in life expectancy.

See full quality of life comparison

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Uganda Revenue Authority (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017). How we calculate this

Weather in South Africa vs Uganda

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kampala Rain: 49.8 in/yr (1264 mm)
82° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

Johannesburg Rain: 28.1 in/yr (713 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kampala Johannesburg
Jan–Mar 84°/64°F (29°/18°C) 77°/57°F (25°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 66°/45°F (19°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 67°/44°F (20°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/64°F (28°/17°C) 76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
View all months
Month Kampala Johannesburg
Jan 83°/64°F (28.6°/17.7°C) 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C)
Feb 85°/64°F (29.3°/18.0°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C)
Mar 84°/65°F (28.7°/18.1°C) 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C)
Apr 82°/64°F (27.7°/18.0°C) 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C)
May 81°/64°F (27.3°/17.9°C) 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C)
Jun 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.6°C) 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C)
Jul 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.1°C) 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C)
Aug 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.1°C) 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C)
Sep 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.2°C) 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C)
Oct 82°/63°F (27.7°/17.4°C) 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C)
Nov 81°/64°F (27.4°/17.5°C) 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C)
Dec 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.5°C) 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C)

Data: South African Weather Service South African Weather Service

Can you move from Uganda to South Africa?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Uganda 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.

Uganda passport

Uganda passport holder visiting South Africa

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Uganda passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to South Africa.
South Africa passport

South Africa passport holder visiting Uganda

Visa Online (e-Visa)
South Africa passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Uganda.

Data: 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?

Connectivity is usually fine (South Africa: 5.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does South Africa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is South Africa safe for expats?

Uganda performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 9.0 in Uganda.

How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Uganda?

Uganda 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 1.9 in Uganda. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Uganda: 49).

What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Uganda?

The average high temperature in Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 82°F in Kampala. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year, while Kampala 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 Uganda, the official languages are English and Swahili.

Compare further: Uganda vs. South Africa

Quality of Life Comparison · 26 statistics
Be 11.8 times more likely to be unemployed in South Africa
→
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
South Africa is 51.0% more expensive than Uganda overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Uganda is about 5 times smaller than South Africa.
→
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At a Glance

UG ZA
Population 51,384,894 64,747,319
Currency Ugandan Shilling (UGX) 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 +256 +27
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 10111