To live in South Africa there are several valid reasons to do so. South Africa has made great progress in reducing poverty since 1994. South Africa ranks low on several well-being measures. It does poorly in income, job, education, health, environmental quality, social ties, civic involvement, safety, and life happiness.
You can be ready for anything if you consider the positive and negative aspects beforehand. Take a moment to check out how it is to live in South Africa.
How’s life
There are many factors that you need to consider if you want to live in South Africa:
- Accommodation
- Employment
- Weather
- Education
- The environment
- Security
- Healthcare
- Cost of living
Accommodation
If you plan to live in South Africa, you must know where to stay. Housing provides shelter, but it’s more than four walls and a roof. Of course, home affordability is a concern.
Housing is often the main family expense for many households when you include rent, gas, electricity, water, furnishings, and repairs. South Africa spend 18% of their adjusted income on housing.
Overcrowding can damage children’s health, relationships, and development. Dense housing often indicates poor water and sewage supplies.
Also, consider living circumstances like the average number of rooms shared per person and if homes have basic conveniences.
The typical South Africa house has less rooms per person. However, 64% have private toilets with indoor washing.
Read more:
How to find a house in South Africa
How to rent a house in South Africa
How to buy a house in South Africa
Employment
Having a job has several significant advantages:
Income: It provides a source of money.
Social inclusion: Makes individuals feel connected.
Goal-setting: It allows you to achieve your objectives.
Self-esteem: It promotes self-worth.
Development of skills: Helps you learn and progress.
Only 39% of people aged 15 to 64 have jobs in South Africa. Unemployed people want to work and are actively searching for a job.
Being unemployed for a long time can harm your well-being, self-esteem, and job skills. In South Africa, 17.9% of the workforce has been unemployed for over a year.
Two factors determine work quality: pay and security.
Wages: The South Africa average is USD 49,165 per year.
Job security: Your job security depends on how likely you are to lose it and how long you may be without one. Unemployment in South Africa results in a loss of wages.
Also check: How to find a job in South Africa.
Weather
South Africa’s climate varies from subtropical along the eastern coast to desert and semi-arid in the northwest. Typically, rain falls from mid- to late-September to early-April, although in the southwest near Cape Town, it falls from late-April to early-September.
Education
Education is vital for a country’s well-being:
Knowledge and Skills: It equips people for life and work.
Job Opportunities: A good education improves job prospects.
Years in Education: South Africans spend less time in school between 5 and 39.
High school graduation matters as job markets need knowledge-based skills. In South Africa, 48% of adults aged 25-64 finish high school.
However, graduation numbers don’t indicate education quality. PISA focuses on reading, math, and science in 2018 since research demonstrates that these abilities are better indicators of economic and social well-being than school years.
Great school systems provide quality education to all students.
The environment
Live in South Africa? Even though significant pollutant releases have been cut down on a national and foreign level, the health effects of urban air pollution keep getting worse. Think about how air pollution will affect our health if this keeps up.
Consider these environmental factors:
Health risks from air pollution: In South Africa, PM2.5 is 28.5 μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter).
Water: Clean water is essential. 72% of South Africa citizens are pleased with their water quality; therefore, be aware of these environmental elements that might affect your health.
Healthcare
For those who live in South Africa, it’s worth noting that life expectancy has been increasing thanks to better living conditions, healthcare, and public health efforts.
South Africans average lifespan is 64 years. In South Africa, people think they are healthy. The self-assessment may vary by gender, age, socioeconomic status, and future healthcare requirements.
Cost of living
The cost of living in South Africa varies greatly according to different areas of the country.
If you live in South Africa as a family of four, the average monthly cost is 35,179 ZAR without rent. For a single person, the average monthly cost is 10,206 ZAR without rent.
If you live in Cape Town as a family of four, the average monthly cost is 36,230 ZAR without rent. For a single person, the average monthly cost is 10,322 ZAR without rent.
Security
Personal safety is essential to well-being. Do you feel comfortable going alone at night? In South Africa, 40% felt comfortable strolling alone at night.
The homicide rate (the number of murders per 100,000 people) is a better indicator of a country’s safety than authorities.South Africa’s homicide rate is 13.7.
Source: OECD
Photo by Sebastián León Prado on Unsplash.
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