Moving to South Africa from Vanuatu
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Vanuatu to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Vanuatu to South Africa. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Vanuatu and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Vanuatu 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
Vanuatu generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Vanuatu generally does better on environment, though South Africa leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
South Africa performs significantly better than Vanuatu 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
Vanuatu generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Vanuatu generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: 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 | Port Vila | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Port Vila | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.4°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.6°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 84°/72°F (28.9°/22.5°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 80°/69°F (26.7°/20.5°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 79°/67°F (26.1°/19.3°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.6°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 82°/69°F (27.8°/20.6°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.7°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 85°/72°F (29.7°/22.4°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vanuatu 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.
Vanuatu passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa passport holder visiting Vanuatu
Visa FreeData: 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?
With 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Vanuatu and South Africa.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Vanuatu performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Vanuatu.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Vanuatu?
Vanuatu generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 1.6 in Vanuatu. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vanuatu: 47).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Vanuatu?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 83°F in Port Vila. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Port Vila gets 87.5 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 Vanuatu, the official languages are Bislama, English and French.
Compare further: Vanuatu vs. South Africa
At a Glance
VU
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 308,043 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Vanuatu Vatu (VUV) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Bislama, English, French | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +678 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 10111 |