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It’ll cost between £5,000 and £15,000 to move to South Africa from the UK in 2026. This is just an average cost to use as a guideline. These costs are based on visa fees, flights, health insurance, shipping costs and other essential services.

You can use the costs in this blog as a guideline to create a budget for your move. By budgeting, you can factor in all the important costs and won’t face any hidden fees. 

Breakdown of the costs of moving to South Africa

Visa and Document Costs

  1. Skills Assessment – A skills assessment is essential for the Critical Skills visa and potentially for the Permanent Residence visa. It’ll cost around ZAR 2,270 (roughly £105) for a SAQA Certificate of Evaluation for your first qualification, with each additional qualification about ZAR 950. SAQA’s tariff rose again with effect from April 2026, so check the current fee before budgeting.
  2. Authentication Fees – You might need certain UK-issued documents legalised or apostilled by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). This will cost roughly £45 (around ZAR 980) per document. Certain documents might need to be notarised which will cost between £70 (ZAR 1,575) and £150 (ZAR 3,375) per document. 
  3. Mandatory Medical Check – You’ll need a medical exam for most South African visas, typically in the form of a general medical certificate which costs between £50 – £150 (ZAR 1,125 – ZAR 3,375 )and a tuberculosis radiological report for £50 – £100 (ZAR 1,125 – ZAR 2,250). You should budget around £100 to £250 (ZAR 2,250 – ZAR 5,625) per person.
  4. Police Clearance Certificate – A police clearance certificate is also required to live and work in South Africa. You can get this via the ACRO Criminal Records Office in the UK. It costs £65 for the standard service or £115 for the premium two-day service (around ZAR 1,400 to ZAR 2,500).
  5. Visa Application Fee – Fees depend on the visa type. A temporary residence visa, such as a general work or critical skills visa, costs around £35 in Department of Home Affairs fees plus a VFS Global service fee of roughly £40 when applying from the UK, about £75 in total. Permanent residence is considerably more: the DHA fee alone is around ZAR 4,425 (roughly £200), with the VFS service fee of about ZAR 1,550 (£70) paid separately.
  6. Visa Assistance –  Although it’s not an essential service, you could pay between £500 to £3,000 (ZAR 11,250 – ZAR 67,500) to hire an immigration lawyer to guide you through the visa process. Prices vary depending on the complexity of your case. 

Travel and Relocation Costs

  1. Flights from the UK to South Africa: You should budget between £400 and £800 (ZAR 9,000 – ZAR 18,000) for a one-way flight ticket to South Africa. Costs vary depending on the airlines, time of year and ticket class.  
  2. Shipping Your Belongings: It’ll cost around £5,000 (ZAR 109,042) to ship the contents of a 3-bedroom home to South Africa from the UK. This is the cost of a 20ft shipping container. 
  3. Rental Deposits & Advance Rent: The average rent for a 2-3 bedroom home in Johannesburg will cost between ZAR 11,250 to ZAR 33,750 (£500 – £1,500) per month, depending on location, type of property and amenities. You’ll typically have to pay 1-2 months’ rent for a deposit. You should budget around ZAR 67,500 (£3,000) for moving costs.  
  4. Health Insurance:  South Africa has public healthcare funded by the government. It’s advised to get health insurance as an expat due to the overcrowded system. Costs vary between ZAR 1,350 to ZAR 4,500 (£60 and £200) per month for an individual and up to £800 for a family.
  5. Shipping Your Car: For car shipping to South Africa, it’ll cost from £1,166 (ZAR 25,443) on average to ship a saloon car to Cape Town via Roll-on/Roll-off. Costs do not include import or tax costs and your total cost will vary depending on car type and destination. 
  6. Shipping your Pet: There are strict pet importing rules in South Africa, so you may be subject to a quarantine period. The average cost of shipping your pet will be around £1,500 to £3,500 (ZAR 33,750 to ZAR 78,750). Costs will vary depending on the type and size of the animal, airline, and essential certificates and vaccinations. 

Average Salaries in South Africa

The average salary in South Africa for 2025 is ZAR 300,000 – ZAR 360,000 (£13,333 – £16,000) per year. Average salaries vary depending on the industry, experience and location. Below we’ve listed the average salary in some prime locations in South Africa. 

  • Cape Town: ZAR 300,000 – ZAR 360,000 (£13,333 – £16,000)
  • Johannesburg:  ZAR 324,000 – ZAR 384,000 (£14,400 – £17,067)
  • Durban: ZAR 264,000 – ZAR 336,000 (£11,733 – £14,933)
  • Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth): ZAR 216,000 – ZAR 288,000 (£9,600 – £12,800)
  • Pretoria: ZAR 288,000 – ZAR 360,000 (£12,800 – £16,000) 

Final Thoughts

South Africa offers excellent opportunities for many British expats. The low cost of living, warmer climate and outdoor lifestyle are big attractions for people making the move. Moving abroad comes with high initial costs, but for many, the long-term benefits of moving to a new country outweigh this. 

Use this cost guide to help you budget for your upcoming move to South Africa. Get informed of all the costs you need to factor in so you can focus on enjoying your new adventure. Get a free, tailored quote for your shipping costs with 1st Move International.


Moving to South Africa – We Can Help

1st Move International are here to help with your international move. We’ve been helping people relocate to South Africa for over 25 years, so we’re the first choice for a safer, faster, and smarter move.

We handle everything, from packing and shipping to customs clearance and final delivery to your new home. Get a free, tailored quote for your removals to South Africa to start planning.  

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