Many expats moving here are drawn by the low living costs, climate and the easy access to a great lifestyle. The cities in the country have extensive skyscrapers, international restaurants and bars, as well as shopping malls to suit your own budgets.
The popular cities for expats to move to are Cape Town and Johannesburg, two completely different cities, with Cape town offering beaches, mountains and a laid back life style but ‘Joburg’ is an inland with the hustle and bustle of a business centre. There are also private and public game parks to be able to see extraordinary wildlife.
When moving to a country like South Africa, you must ensure that you take care due to it being known as an unsafe area. Generally the people are very welcoming and friendly and you won’t have problems socialising and getting to know other expats and residents of the country. Research should be done before moving to recognise what major cities are the best for you to move to as a foreigner especially if moving with children.
South Africans are multilingual and are able to speak more than one language. In total there are eleven official languages of the country, these include: English, Afrikaans, IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, Sepedi, Siswati, Sesotho, Setswana, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. Majority of the citizens do however speak English and Afrikaans.
South Africa remains a cheap country compared to other western countries and the cheap labour costs will ensure that expats have a high standard of living and will be able to get domestic help. The restaurants, alcohol and service costs are also quite low.
The climate varies from region to region; it is generally sunny with some dry days. The western cape has a Mediterranean type climate whilst other parts of the country has a semi-desert climate which results in being cold, winters being dry and rainfall in the summer. The coldest days are in June – August.
Cape Town
Cape Town, the capital city of South Africa which is well known for the Table Mountain and Robben Island which is one of the most diverse floral kingdoms in the world. In addition to this, the city is also on the list of best cities in the world due to its natural beauty, climate and relaxed lifestyle which expats take advantage of by staying in the country for a longer period of time than expected.
Expats moving here can anticipate an environment which provides a balanced and healthy stress free work environment with a laid back ambience. Although the city is small it has the same facilities as other international cities with fine dining, high quality private health care and outstanding shopping malls.
When looking at accommodation in the city, there are many options available but it is best to decide on what you want before moving to the country as house prices are amongst the highest in South Africa, and the more close you are to the city centre the more expensive it will be
If you haven’t found work before moving to Cape Town, it may prove a little difficult to find with the few job opportunities and low salaries that are available. Sectors such as IT, finance, Asset management, media are the industries that expats usually find work in. In 2014 the city was selected to be the Worlds Design Capital for the growing digital and creative sector.
The public transport system in Cape Town has improved over the last few years with the services of MyCiti Rapid bus transport making it easier for individuals to get around; however most people do prefer to get their own car to be able to travel around freely
Whether you are moving with your children, or if you are coming to the country on a study visa there is a variety of schools in Cape Town with public schools, private schools and international schools with some of them having outstanding achievements. Not only this, but the city is home to the University of Cape Town which is ranked the best university in Africa.
Weather
With a Mediterranean style climate expats will be able to experience the dry and warm weather with wet and cool winters throughout the year. February is the hottest month with temperatures of 23°C and the coldest is June with temperatures at 13°C.
Popular tourist attractions in the city of Cape Town
- Table Mountain
- Robben Island
- Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
- Boulders Beach
- Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
- Table Mountain national park
- Lions head
Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city with a population of around more than 7 million people and more commonly known as Jozi or Jo’burg. The city is well known for its play hard, work hard culture and there is a friendly lively city which has lots to do from visiting the museums to socialising to visiting the cities mega malls. Expats moving will find themselves in the country’s growing city but also in the financial centre of Africa. Whether you are moving to country for business, or want to relax for a few days, the city of Johannesburg has the whole lot.
The city was recognised in 1886 where gold was discovered on a farm and the name Egoli (Place of Gold) was given to it by the residents which refers to the gold found below the ground and the increase of wealth above it. The people working here have managed to protect the position within the economy and it is the largest contribution to the large areas of employment. Working in Johannesburg can be a wise career step for many expatriates with many sectors such as, financial, IT, media and broadcasting services for employment available. Other than this, mining and manufacturing play a large role in the economy with major international employers in the city and the land of opportunity continues to attract locals and people abroad for professional advancement and for a better lifestyle. The average salary is rather lower than other cities but this city is ranked one of the cheapest expat destinations in the world.
Families moving here can benefit from the outdoor activities and tourist sites to a range of gardens, wildlife and the Melville Koppies. Expats can also visit the nature reserves to view the beautiful natural scenery in the city, go to the theatres and even head to the city’s mega shopping malls. Other than this there is a variety of choice when it comes to the education with many government run public schools, international schools and independent private schools. Majority of the expats moving to the city do send their children to private or international schools because of the quality of teaching.
Although, there are lots of places to visit in the city, public transport is not that great, so owning your own private car will prove essential and walking to places is not advised due to the safety concerns
Finding accommodation is straightforward in the city with furnished apartments and houses for rent in popular expat areas. Prices for properties do vary depending on how many rooms you want but you will see most communities have their own security cameras, walls and fences.
Another important factor which is to be considered is health care, majority of the people in the city choose to get private health care due to the public healthcare system not being funded. Most expats can get help from their employers to pay for health insurance if this is stated in their contract and private health care has a high standard in Johannesburg with highly trained medical professionals and specialists.
Overall, Johannesburg offers a high standard of living with a great land of opportunities which is available to all.
Weather
Expats will enjoy the weather in Johannesburg with hot clear days in the summer and thunderstorms in the late afternoons. The temperatures in Johannesburg are mild due to the city’s high elevation, temperatures in January are at between 21°C – 25.6 °C with the maximum average of 10°C – 16 °C in June. January is the hottest and wettest month.
Popular Tourist Attractions in Johannesburg
- Apartheid Museum
- Gold Reef city
- Constitution Hill
- Montecasino
- Lion Park
- SAB World of Beer
- South African National Museum of Military history
- Johannesburg botanical gardens