Moving to South Africa from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 54.1% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly ZAR568,000 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Johannesburg averages 71°F vs 62°F in New York City, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is South Africa cheaper than United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 50.8% less
Groceries
pay 49.6% less
Housing
pay 69.2% less
Childcare
pay 83.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 53.5% 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 → ZAR568,000
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 56% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to South Africa, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
United States 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 States 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 States generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 States 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 States performs better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
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 States generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in South Africa vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
South African Weather Service
Can you move from United States 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 United States?
Yes — South Africa is on average about 54% cheaper than United States. 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 ZAR142,000 in South Africa on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
Internet is rarely the blocker — South Africa has 5.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
United States performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 37% of people in South Africa feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to United States?
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 36.8 in United States. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In United States, the official language is English.
Compare further: United States vs. South Africa
At a Glance
US
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 341,784,857 | 64,747,319 |
| Currency | United States Dollar ($) | 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 |