South Africa

South Africa offers five main long-stay routes, and the right one depends on how the applicant earns a living.

• Remote employees of a foreign company: the Remote Work visa, South Africa's digital nomad visa. It rules out local work and has no route to permanent residence.
• Retirees with a pension or income from assets: the retired person's visa, renewable while the income test is met and a possible step to permanent residence.
• Wealthy applicants who want permanent status at once: the financially independent permit, which grants permanent residence directly in exchange for a net worth test and a payment on approval.
• Close family of South Africans: the relative's visa, backed by a sponsor's monthly support and with no right to work.
• People taking a job with a South African employer: the general or critical skills work visa, scored on a 100-point system.

Short visits: nationals of 90-day visa-exempt countries can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. Other nationalities have shorter visa-free stays or need a visitor's visa; DHA's exempt countries list gives each country's allowance.

Plan the route before arrival. Remote Work visa holders can't change status inside South Africa except in exceptional circumstances, so a later switch to retirement or work status can mean a fresh application.

Costs vary most with rent. These figures come from Numbeo's crowd-sourced data for mid-2026, converted at about $0.061 per rand (Sept. 24, 2026 rate); treat them as rough guides.

• Cape Town: a one-bedroom apartment runs about R17,190 a month in the center and R10,680 outside it, and a single person's other costs about R12,010 (June 2026). A central setup comes to about R29,200, or $1,790.
• Johannesburg: about R8,620 for a central one-bedroom and R13,290 in other costs, roughly R21,910 or $1,340 a month (Numbeo, June 2026).
• Pretoria: about R7,590 for a central one-bedroom and R13,030 in other costs, roughly R20,620 or $1,260 (Numbeo, June 2026).
• Durban: about R7,510 for a central one-bedroom and R10,400 in other costs, roughly R17,910 or $1,090 (Numbeo, July 2026).

Taking the midpoint between central and outer rents, a single remote worker in Cape Town spends about R25,950 a month, or $1,590. Cape Town is the priciest of the four, mainly because of rent. Living outside the center brings rent down in every city, and short furnished lets usually cost more than these long-term averages.

• Cape Town: the main base for remote workers, with coast and mountains on the doorstep. It's the most expensive of the big cities for rent in Numbeo's data.
• Johannesburg: the business center, with several coworking hubs in Sandton and Rosebank and lower rents than Cape Town. Suits people who want a city with a strong professional scene.
• Durban: a warm-water coastal city with the lowest costs of the big cities in Numbeo's data. Suits budget-minded beach lovers.
• Pretoria: the administrative capital, close to Johannesburg, with central rents a little below Johannesburg's.
• Stellenbosch: a smaller university town in the Cape Winelands, within reach of Cape Town, for people who prefer a slower pace.

The Speedtest Global Index put South Africa's median fixed broadband speed at 95.6 Mbps and median mobile speed at 117 Mbps in August 2026. Mobile data is fast enough to serve as a backup connection.

Coworking is concentrated in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Workshop17, one of the larger operators, lists spaces in Sandton and Rosebank in Johannesburg, at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town and in Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal coast.

Power: South Africa has been through long spells of scheduled power cuts, known as load shedding. Eskom reported no load shedding in late September 2026 and publishes schedules by area. Before booking a long stay, ask whether the apartment or coworking space has backup power, such as an inverter or generator.

South Africa taxes residents on worldwide income, subject to certain exclusions, and non-residents only on income from a South African source (SARS). The tax year starts March 1.

Who is resident: people ordinarily resident in South Africa are resident whatever their day count. Others become resident under the physical presence test: more than 91 days in the current tax year and in each of the five previous tax years, plus more than 915 days in total over those five years.

Remote Work visa holders have a registration rule from DHA: Holders who are tax resident in a country with a South African double tax agreement must register with SARS if present more than 183 days in aggregate in any 12-month period; holders from other countries must register with SARS regardless of days.

The official material reviewed sets no reduced rate for remote workers, retirees or new residents. Anyone planning a long stay should check the tax treaty, if any, between South Africa and their home country, and how the home country treats time abroad.

• SIM cards: every SIM must be registered under RICA with an identity document, such as a passport, and proof of residence (SAnews). Carry both when buying one.
• Banking: short-stay visitors usually get by on foreign cards. Long-stay residents can ask banks about accounts for foreigners; each bank sets its own documents.
• Health: the Remote Work visa checklist doesn't ask for health insurance, but private medical cover is worth having for any long stay.
• Emergencies: 10111 for police, 10177 for an ambulance and 112 from any mobile network (Western Cape Government).
• Safety: safety varies a lot by neighborhood. Check the home government's travel advice and ask locals which areas to avoid, especially after dark.
• Arrival: travelers who have been in a yellow fever endemic area need a vaccination certificate, unless they were only in direct transit (DHA).