South Africa
A solid all-round choice. Ranked 16 of 40, strongest on affordability, softest on safety.
Key facts
Visa & residency
Guaranteed monthly income of at least R37,000 (about US$2,000) from a pension, annuity or investments; a minimum net worth of R37,000 is also referenced.
Income must come from a pension, retirement annuity or guaranteed source, not a salary. Available as a temporary Retired Person Visa or directly as permanent residence.
Healthcare
Two-tier system: an underfunded, overcrowded public sector and a high-quality private sector many rate on par with Europe. Foreign residents may use public care but most rely on private hospitals via medical aid or insurance.
Accessing the top private hospitals effectively requires private medical aid or international health cover, which is costly and rises with age.
Cost of living
Comfortable single-retiree budget roughly US$1,300-2,000, with Cape Town the priciest; single-person costs excluding rent are about R11,900 (~US$650).
In Cape Town, the main expat city, a one-bed city-centre apartment is about R16,700 per month (roughly US$900), far below comparable US cities.
Safety & climate
Ranks 124th of 163 countries on the 2025 Global Peace Index; high violent and property crime rates mean personal-safety precautions are important, especially in cities.
Largely dry and semi-arid; the Cape has a Mediterranean climate (wet winters, dry summers), the east coast is subtropical, and the southern Garden Route is temperate with year-round rain.
Community & language
Sizeable, well-established expat and retiree communities, mainly in Cape Town and Johannesburg (large British and German contingents); English is widely spoken so English-speaking retirees integrate easily.
12 official languages including English; English is the main language of government and business and is widely spoken.
Taxes
Residence-based system: tax residents are taxed on worldwide income, so foreign pensions can be taxable, with a rebate (credit) for foreign tax paid; treaty terms may reassign taxing rights.
Has double-tax treaties with the US, UK, Netherlands, Canada and Australia.
Compare South Africa with its closest rivals
The three countries whose RetireScore sits nearest.
