Moving to South Africa from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Kingdom to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Kingdom to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 49.1% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,766 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly ZAR610,296 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Pretoria averages 77°F vs 60°F in London, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Kingdom to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
£55,766 → ZAR610,296
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 52.4% less
Groceries
pay 32.5% less
Transportation
pay 43.4% less
Housing
pay 50.8% less
Childcare
pay 84.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.9% 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.
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 45% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United Kingdom to South Africa, based on official data.
people born in United Kingdom 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
-
5.67,382
United Kingdom
- 63,892
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in poverty rate.
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
United Kingdom generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: HM Revenue & Customs, 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 | London | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Met Office
South African Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Free
South Africa passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 United Kingdom?
Yes — South Africa is on average about 51% cheaper than United Kingdom. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZAR152,574 in South Africa on a £55,766 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 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?
United Kingdom performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 60°F in London. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 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 United Kingdom, the official language is English.
Compare further: United Kingdom vs. South Africa
At a Glance
GB
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 67,791,400 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | British Pound Sterling (£) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +44 | +27 |
| Time zones | 9 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 10111 |