Moving to South Africa from Vietnam
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Vietnam to South Africa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Vietnam to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 49.9% more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,900,000,000 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly ZAR1,820,000 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. 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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Vietnam to South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
₫1,900,000,000 → ZAR1,820,000
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 2.9 times more
Groceries
pay 13.7% more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 43.9% more
Childcare
pay 54.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 91.3% more
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 25% more than cities in Vietnam.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Vietnam to South Africa, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
107.192
Vietnam
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Vietnam to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Vietnam 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
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Vietnam 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
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Vietnam generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
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
Vietnam 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
Vietnam generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2011–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hanoi | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hanoi | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration,
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam 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.
Vietnam passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa passport holder visiting Vietnam
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 Vietnam?
No — South Africa is on average about 50% more expensive than Vietnam. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZAR455,000 in South Africa on a ₫1,900,000,000 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?
Vietnam performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.5 in Vietnam.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Vietnam?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 11.1 in Vietnam. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Vietnam?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 82°F in Hanoi. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Hanoi gets 64.1 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 Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.
Compare further: Vietnam vs. South Africa
At a Glance
VN
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 101,598,527 | 64,747,319 |
| Currency | Vietnamese Dong (₫) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Vietnamese | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +84 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 113 | 10111 |