Life Expectancy in South Africa (2024): Men 62.8, Women 69.8

Life expectancy in South Africa since 1960

Women
Men

Since 1960, life expectancy in South Africa has risen by 13.7 years, from 52.6 to 66.3. During the COVID-19 pandemic it fell by 4.1 years (from 66.1 in 2019 to 62.0 in 2021) and has since recovered. Women live 7.0 years longer than men (69.8 vs 62.8).

Expected age at death in South Africa by age

Life expectancy at birth includes deaths in childhood. Once people reach adulthood they can expect to live longer — here is the average expected age at death for people who have already reached each age:

Current age	Birth	20	40	60	80
Men	62.8	65.6	66.9	71.2	82.6
Women	69.8	72.8	73.8	76.5	84.9

Birth: World Bank. Other ages: our survival model calibrated to South Africa’s figures (method).

How people die in South Africa

Chronic diseases: 52.3%
Infections, maternal & nutritional: 36%
Injuries: 11.7%

In 2019, 52% of deaths in South Africa were caused by chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes (world: 74%). A South Africa man has a 20% chance and a woman 25% of dying of one of these diseases between the ages of 30 and 70 (world: 21% and 16%). Road traffic accidents kill 22.2 people per 100,000 each year (world: 16.7).

See which causes of death are most likely for you →

Child mortality

Out of every 1,000 babies born in South Africa, about 35.1 die before their fifth birthday (world: 37.4). This is one of the main reasons life expectancy at birth differs so much between countries.

South Africa compared with its region

South Africa is in the World Bank’s Sub-Saharan Africa region, where the average life expectancy is 64.8 years. It ranks #19 of 48 countries there.

#	Country	Overall	Men	Women
15	Tanzania	67.2	64.4	70.0
16	Comoros	67.0	65.0	69.2
17	Sudan	66.5	63.4	69.8
18	Zambia	66.5	64.1	68.9
19	South Africa	66.3	62.8	69.8
20	Gambia	66.1	64.4	67.8
21	Congo	66.0	64.3	67.7
22	Ghana	65.7	63.3	68.2
23	Angola	64.8	62.3	67.3

See all 217 countries ranked →

Frequently asked questions

What is the life expectancy in South Africa?

66.3 years in 2024: 62.8 for men and 69.8 for women, according to the World Bank.

Do women live longer than men in South Africa?

Yes. Women in South Africa live about 7.0 years longer than men. Worldwide the gap is 4.9 years in favour of women.

How does South Africa rank for life expectancy?

South Africa ranks #185 out of 217 countries and territories with data. That is 7.2 years below the world average of 73.5.

What is the average age of death in South Africa?

Life expectancy at birth (66.3) is pulled down by deaths in childhood. Adults live longer: a 40-year-old man in South Africa can expect to live to about 66.9, and a 40-year-old woman to about 73.8.

Sources

World Bank, World Development Indicators: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN, SP.DYN.LE00.FE.IN), under-5 mortality (SH.DYN.MORT), causes of death (SH.DTH.NCOM.ZS, SH.DTH.INJR.ZS), mortality from major chronic diseases (SH.DYN.NCOM.MA.ZS, SH.DYN.NCOM.FE.ZS) and road traffic deaths (SH.STA.TRAF.P5). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Link

Data updated October 25, 2026.