Before your Back to Africa
Documents, budget, temporary housing, school, transport, banking, telecoms: the steps that keep you from running out of money after a few months.
Know how many months you can last before you leave
Before committing, enter your savings, your income on site and your planned expenses in the My project budget: AfriPilot calculates how many months you can last at that pace. Many returns fail after six to twelve months because this calculation was never done.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Keep an untouchable reserve
Set aside several months of expenses that you will not use for settling in: health emergencies, a delayed income, an early return.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Start with a modest lifestyle, then adjust
In the first months, people often overestimate their needs: housing, car, staff, outings. Start simply, watch your real spending for three months, then step up if your budget allows. The reverse is much harder.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Scan all your important documents
Passport, civil status records, diplomas, contracts, prescriptions: keep a digital copy in the My project vault and paper copies kept apart from the originals.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Start residence procedures early
Residence permit, resident card, work permit: find out before leaving which documents are required, often legalised or translated, and file without waiting for your visa to expire.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Sort your belongings before moving
Freight and customs duties are expensive. Compare the cost of shipping an item with buying it locally, and read the customs rules in the Entry and residence guide before shipping.
What changes the gain: Depends on volume, shipping method and customs duties.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Start with temporary accommodation
Book temporary accommodation (furnished flat, residence, family) for the first weeks, so you can visit several neighbourhoods at different times of day before choosing.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Do not sign a long lease before testing the neighbourhood
Check rush-hour journeys, water and power cuts, noise, safety at night, and access to schools and healthcare. A long lease signed too quickly is one of the costliest mistakes.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Keep rent to a reasonable share of your budget
Starting with a high rent is a frequent cause of running out of savings. Compare several neighbourhoods and standards; the My project budget warns you when housing exceeds the ServAfrica benchmark of 35% of monthly expenses.
What changes the gain: Depends on the neighbourhood, the standard and the length of the lease.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Compare several schools, not just the most expensive
Most countries have good schools at reasonable fees. Visit at least three, ask about results, class sizes and all fees (registration, canteen, uniforms, transport). Price alone does not guarantee quality.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27No full-time driver as soon as you arrive
For regular journeys (school, work, errands), first try private taxis booked by the hour or half-day. A full-time driver is only justified if your real needs call for one.
What changes the gain: Depends on the number of daily journeys and waiting time.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Do not buy a car in the first month
First try local transport and your real journeys. A car also costs insurance, maintenance, fuel, parking and sometimes a driver.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Get a local SIM card on arrival
A local line cuts roaming costs and makes taxis, deliveries, mobile payments and contacts easier. Bring your passport: SIM registration is often mandatory.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Open a mobile money account
In many countries, mobile money is used every day (shopping, bills, transfers). Compare operator fees and keep some cash for places that do not accept it.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27Do not depend on a single person on site
Family, friend or manager: entrusting all your errands, money and keys to one person creates a risky dependency. Keep control of your accounts, get several opinions and keep proof of every payment.
Practical adviceServAfrica experienceVerified on 10/2/26Medium confidenceNext review: 10/2/27
Democratic Republic of the Congo guides to read
Useful AfriPilot tools
Practical advice drawn from ServAfrica's experience and field feedback: methods, not guaranteed figures. Prices and rules vary by city; always check them locally.