Her mother shared how her life has changed since exchanging British darkness for the bright sunshine of South Africa. Maria du Toyte, 39, a former associate professor at a Berkshire university, made the bold decision to move to her husband's home country, South Africa in 2024 after giving birth to her first child.
She currently lives in the bay of the Western Cape with her husband and young children from Greece. She says she made the switch after paying more than £1,400 a month for childcare in the UK. “We moved because Britain wasn't a very nice place and it was just as nice as it used to be for work and people from abroad,” she said. “In reading, I started thinking about how much I have to pay for things like parenting. I have to pay £1,400 a month on the low end.”
The low daily costs and exits are certainly cheaper than in the UK.
According to Numbeo, the cost of living in South Africa is over 49% lower than what most Britons are used to, with rentals, dining out and everyday items at a fraction of the cost.
Not only does it save money, but the weather is certainly an improvement for Maria and her family. It is common to bring 29°C heat in September, and promises clear skies even in winter months.
There are also great communities that move around the world. Maria said: “South Africa is incredibly active.
“I'm trying to meet people by joining a lot of WhatsApp groups and community groups. There's a lot of movement. People who promote local businesses are always around and a few years ago people struggled to find work.
“But now everyone we know is in employment. That's a good sign of what's going to be.”
Opening her initial impressions of life in South Africa, she discussed the differences between the country and the British. She said: “The main difference in living in South Africa is that people are more direct with you here.
Social media and news sounds like the country is way worse than that. Just like there are problems everywhere, there are problems. ”
If you're thinking about a country that's moving, you can do much worse than South Africa.
“We've seen a lot of effort into making it,” said Simon Hood, executive director of John Mason International's relocation company. “The cost of living in South Africa is significantly lower and the expansion of digital nomadic planning has limitless opportunities. You can live in the sun and scenery of the cape while maintaining your UK salary.”
