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Moving to South Africa from the UK is an exciting step, but there’s a lot to organise before you go. From understanding how much your move could cost to sorting out visas, paperwork and shipping your belongings, getting prepared early can make the whole process much easier. This guide covers everything you need to know about moving to South Africa from the UK, including typical removal costs, the main visa options for UK nationals and a practical moving checklist to help you stay on track. When you’re ready to plan the move itself, you can also request free quotes from removal companies experienced in moves from the UK to South Africa.
If you’re like us, you’re likely wondering about the cost of international removals from the UK to South Africa. It’s a good thing to ponder as it can be a little tricky to determine. However, you don’t need to worry as we’ve done much of the work already.
Just remember, it’s hard to pin down an exact price, due to the existence of several factors that will affect the final quote. And if you’re curious, you can read more about international moving costs, you’ll be glad you did.
Finally, below you can see the estimated cost of an international removal from the UK to South Africa by Sea, for varying household sizes. Remember, the estimated prices and the actual cost of moving may differ:
| Size of Household | Shipping Time | Cost |
| 1 bed flat | 6-11 weeks | £2,400 – £4,200 |
| 3 bed house | 4-8 weeks | £5,400 – £8,900 |
| 5 bed house | 4-8 weeks | £8,000 – £13,600 |
One thing you might have noticed is that a 1-bed flat takes longer to ship. This is due to smaller removals to South Africa being more likely to share a shipping container, so you’ll have to wait until it’s full before your belongings are moved.
Choosing the right removal company can make a big difference when moving such a long distance. Below, you’ll find our ranking of the **best removal companies to South Africa**, helping you compare highly rated movers that handle relocations from the UK.
Already know where you’re headed? Our guides to moving to Cape Town and moving to Johannesburg cover local costs, neighbourhoods and what to expect when settling into your new city.
International removals from the UK to South Africa don’t come cheap. So, if you want the best deal, fill in the form below to start comparing the UK to South Africa removal companies, today!
Moving to South Africa is a big deal, as you’re practically moving pole to pole! So, if you’ve made the decision to move, you’ll find our moving abroad checklist to be very useful.
However, for details on how to move to South Africa from the UK specifically, we’ve put together a little checklist below. Check it out!
If you’re a South African citizen moving back from the UK, you won’t need a visa.
UK nationals and other non-South Africans will need to apply for a temporary residence visa before moving, and the route depends on your situation. The main categories are the General Work Visa, Critical Skills Visa, Intra-Company Transfer Visa, Business Visa, Retired Person’s Visa, Study Visa and Relative’s Visa, each with its own requirements. You can apply through the South African visa application centre for the UK, where you’ll find the current forms and documents for each category.
To make your move to South Africa from the UK a cinch, you should ideally prepare the following documents in advance. You’ll need them when starting life in the Rainbow Nation, so keep them safe and consider making duplicates!
It’s a considerable distance to move, and we don’t advise trying to organise a removal to South Africa by yourself. So, consider looking at our list of top international removal companies in the UK to find the right removal company for you!
If you’re shipping furniture to South Africa, or anything for that matter, you’ll need to start packing. There’s some preparation to do in terms of collecting packing material, deciding what to pack, and actually packing before removals to South Africa. But, before you get too stressed, we have an expert packing guide to help you. It’ll spare you a headache or ten!
Although there is public healthcare in South Africa, we advise using private healthcare, as the private system is fantastic! Due to its high standard, it does come at a steep price, so it is important to purchase health insurance before your move to South Africa.
You might be aware that South Africa has its own currency called the Rand (R or ZAR). While you will be able to open a bank account with a currency in ZAR, Euros or US Dollars. However, Sterling is not an option. And if you want to avoid conversion fees and remote banking, opening a local bank is highly recommended.
The following are the biggest banks in South Africa:
Good news! In South Africa, just like in the UK, cars drive on the left-hand side of the road. However, speed limits are set in kilometres (km) per hour. Furthermore, A UK Driver’s license is only valid for up to 12 months, after which you’ll need an International Driver’s Permit, so organise yours before you go!
The estimated cost of shipping a car from the UK to South Africa is between £675 – £950 depending on the vehicle type and where you are moving to. Furthermore, you may only transport a used car, no new ones!
So, if you decide to import your car to South Africa, it is very important to follow complete the following steps:
Wait for the application process to be completed. Customs duty will need to be paid to the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
We wouldn’t want you to leave your furry friends behind! There is no problem moving to South Africa with pets so long as you follow all the requirements. Some of the specifics include:
Extra Moving Tips from Sirelo
Before closing the checklist, we’d just like to add some advice to make the moving process a little bit less stressful:
When you plan, you avoid unnecessary costs that you didn’t account for. Starting early can help you reduce stress and ensure your move is smooth and successful.
There are several different things that you can do in order to save money on your move, which is why we’ve created our cheap removals page. Take a look to see how you can reduce the costs of moving to South Africa!
As it may take a few days or weeks for your items to be shipped from the UK to South Africa, you may need to consider renting a storage facility. Look at our page for advice on moving your house into storage!
Getting advice from experts makes any experience easier on you. Check out these 21 tips to make your relocation to South Africa easier!
Fun Fact: South Africa is home to four of the five fastest land animals in the world: cheetah, wildebeest, lion and Thomson’s gazelle!
South Africa offers many natural riches throughout the country. From its beautiful coastline to its great national parks, South Africa is to be enjoyed and explored by expats. You can enjoy a good cost of living, as well as a vibrant outdoor lifestyle and should soak up the atmosphere of their popular national sports such as rugby, football or cricket.
Fun Fact: South Africa is the only country in the world where two Nobel Prize winners lived on the same street – Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu! I know where I’ll be moving…
While the cost of living in South Africa is on the rise, it’s quite a bit cheaper than in the UK. So, you’ll find that your pounds will stretch a little further, as long as you can find a good job to support your living costs! Look at the table below to compare the UK and South Africa:
| Metric | UK | South Africa |
| 3-bed appartement City Centre | £1,200 | £725 |
| Price/m2 in the city centre | £4,200 | £820 |
| Monthly utilities for 85m2 apartment | £150 | £80 |
| Milk 1L | £0.92 | £0.80 |
| Cappuccino | £2.76 | £1.46 |
| 0.5L of draught beer | £3.75 | £1.73 |
| 12 eggs | £1.95 | £1.52 |
Finding a job in South Africa can be difficult sometimes, however it’s not impossible! There is currently a demand for skilled expats so our advice would be to have a job offer first before relocating to South Africa. Check out these websites for job opportunities suited for your skills:
Most employees work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday with national firms employing a hierarchical organisational structure. However, the tone is slightly less informal than in the UK, but this does depend on the sector and size of the company. Furthermore, work-life balance is very important, and relaxation is a must once you’re finished for the day!
Huzzah, you’ve made it to the end! We’re sure that you found it a fun and informative read. Read the FAQs below or check the links below for anything we haven’t covered yet.
Of course, before you head off, we’d just like to quickly recommend that you check out some of the links below, as you can never be too prepared. Good luck with your move and life in South Africa!
Our mission is to be your go-to moving platform for you and your loved ones. With our years of expertise and extensive network of movers, we’re here to make your moving process as stress-free as possible.
