The cost of living in South Africa is considered moderate when compared to other countries. While some cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town can be more expensive, overall, the country offers a reasonable cost of living with affordable housing, food, and transportation.

South Africa has a varied climate that ranges from desert and semi-arid in the northwest to subtropical along the eastern coastline. The interior of the country has a temperate climate. The weather is generally mild and sunny throughout the year, with regional variations where some areas experience distinct seasons, including cold winters and hot summers.

The educational system in South Africa is structured to provide learning opportunities from early childhood development to tertiary education. The system is divided into three levels: General Education and Training (GET), Further Education and Training (FET), and Higher Education and Training (HET). Children typically start school at age 5 or 6 with Grade R, which is the reception year before Grade 1. Primary school runs from Grade 1 to Grade 7, and secondary school from Grade 8 to Grade 12. The school year in South Africa runs from January to December, with public schools following a four-term calendar. Students complete their National Senior Certificate (NSC) at the end of Grade 12, which is required for entrance into tertiary education. The quality of education can vary significantly between public schools, with those in affluent areas generally offering a higher standard of education compared to under-resourced schools in less affluent areas. There are also many private schools that offer different curricula, including the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the British GCSE and A-levels. South Africa also has a number of special needs schools catering to children with disabilities. The government has been working to improve the educational system, but challenges such as resource allocation, teacher training, and infrastructure development remain.

South Africa has a two-tiered healthcare system comprising both a public and a private sector. The public healthcare system serves the majority of the population and is funded by the government, but it often faces challenges such as underfunding, staff shortages, and long waiting times. In contrast, the private healthcare sector offers higher quality services with better facilities and shorter waiting times, but it is also much more expensive and accessible primarily to middle and upper-class citizens or those with adequate health insurance. The cost of private healthcare is high compared to public healthcare, which is subsidized and more affordable, but still may be out of reach for many South Africans. Expats and digital nomads can access public healthcare services, but they are typically required to have health insurance or pay out of pocket for private care to ensure a higher standard of treatment. It is advisable for expats and digital nomads to have comprehensive health insurance that covers medical costs in private hospitals.