Honest · Personal · First-hand
Moving to
South Africa
We're Laura & Finn — we moved to South Africa with our child. We share everything you need to know.
Our promise
No agency phrases, no sales fluff. Only what actually works — from two years of living in South Africa, with a child, with no plan B.
Ten topics, one map
Everything you need to know
From the first visa question to your child's first day of school. Ten topic areas we've walked through ourselves.
Visa & Residency
Deep DiveVisa types, applications, processing times
Read the deep dive →Jobs & Careers
Deep DiveJob search, salaries, remote work
Read the deep dive →Cars
Deep DiveBuying, importing, insurance, driver's license
Read the deep dive →Real Estate
Deep DiveRenting, buying, regions, prices
Read the deep dive →Utilities
Deep DiveInternet, power, mobile, daily life
Read the deep dive →Safety
Deep DiveReality, tips, regions
Read the deep dive →Taxes
Deep DiveDeregistration, double taxation, optimization
Read the deep dive →Health Insurance
Deep DiveOptions, comparison, costs
Read the deep dive →Moving
Deep DiveContainers, customs, shipping
Read the deep dive →Banking
Deep DiveAccounts, Wise, Revolut, FNB
Read the deep dive →Our topic worlds
Ten deep dives — one for every topic that decides your emigration
Pillar articles with everything we know on each topic. Extensive, personal, with concrete numbers and all sub-articles on one page.
Pillar guide
Visa & Residency
Nine visa types compared — including the Financial Independence Permit. Which fits which situation, what it costs, how long it takes.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Jobs & Careers
Locally employed, remote for a German employer, or self-employed? Honest salary ranges, the tax reality, and which structure fits which situation.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Cars
Which vehicle, new or used, insurance, and converting your German license. With real prices and our own setup choice.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Real Estate
Rent or buy? Regions, prices, and the honest answer why we still haven't bought after two years — and why that's often the right move.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Utilities
Internet, power, SIM, loadshedding — the first 14 days in South Africa and the backup setup you actually need.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Safety
The most honest answer to "Is South Africa safe?" — reality check, regional differences, our nine routines, and what it actually costs per month.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Taxes
Exit tax, double taxation treaty, SARS registration. Without lawyer jargon, but with clear decision points and our own case.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Health Insurance
Choosing Medical Aid: Discovery, Momentum & co., waiting periods, late joiner penalty, and why gap cover is mandatory.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Moving
Container options, customs, timing, picking the right shipper. Plus the uncomfortable truth: a lot of your German furniture doesn't belong in the container.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
Banking
Wise, Capitec, FNB: the three-account structure for expats, transfer strategies, and the typical mistakes with German home banks.
Read the deep dive →
Pillar guide
General
Our most personal articles — origin story, biggest mistakes, DE-vs-SA life comparisons. Not theory, but lived experience.
Read the deep dive →All topic worlds are live — ten thematic ones plus a personal category. Each pillar page bundles the essentials plus all blog articles on the topic.
Who we are
Two parents, one child, one decision.
In 2024 we packed up in Hamburg, sent a container to Cape Town, and boarded a plane with our child. No plan B. With far too many open questions.
Two years later, South Africa is home. On this site we share everything we've learned — including the mistakes that will hopefully save you your nerves and a few thousand euros.
Read our story →Emigrants since 2024
Laura
& Finn
Cape Town · German-speaking · With child