Expat Guide to Living in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is South Africa's largest city and the economic engine of the African continent — a sprawling metropolis of over 5 million people in the Greater Johannesburg area where the opportunities in finance, mining, technology, and professional services attract expats from across the world. The primary expat neighbourhoods are Sandton (business-friendly, modern, excellent shopping and restaurants), Rosebank (creative, walkable, vibrant dining scene), Morningside (established, safe, residential), and the Johannesburg north suburbs of Bryanston and Randburg for families. Safety is the primary consideration for life in Johannesburg, and most expats live in gated complexes or secure estates, a feature of Johannesburg's middle- and upper-class residential landscape that is almost universal.