Moving to Samoa from Australia

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Australia to Samoa — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Australia to Samoa. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Apia averages 86°F vs 67°F in Canberra, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Australia to Samoa, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
270 ↓ 6% vs 2015

people born in Australia live in Samoa · UN DESA

Who's moving to Samoa?

Top countries of origin for Samoa's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Australia and Samoa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AU
0.8
WS
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AU
4.5
WS
9.6

Australia performs better than Samoa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AU
$7,691
WS
$474
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AU
39.8
WS
5.5

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AU
10.0
WS
34.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AU
14.1t
WS
1.6t

Australia generally does better on environment, though Samoa leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AU
35.1
WS
0.8

Australia performs better than Samoa across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AU
3.7%
WS
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AU
$59,500
WS
$6,000

Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AU
83.1 yrs
WS
75.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AU
3.0
WS
17.0

Australia performs better than Samoa across all family life metrics.

Data: Australian Taxation Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Apia Rain: 116.7 in/yr (2965 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Canberra Apia
Jan–Mar 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) 85°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) 87°/74°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Canberra Apia
Jan 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C)
Feb 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C)
Mar 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C)
Apr 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C)
May 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C)
Jul 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C)
Aug 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C)
Sep 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C)
Nov 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Dec 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia and Samoa. To live, work, or study long-term in Samoa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Samoa's immigration authority.

Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Australia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Samoa.
Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Samoa passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Samoa?

With 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Samoa can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Australia and Samoa.

Is Samoa safe for expats?

Australia performs better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.

How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Australia?

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Samoa, compared to 39.8 in Australia. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).

What's the weather like in Samoa compared to Australia?

The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 67°F in Canberra. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Canberra gets 24.8 in.

What language do they speak in Samoa?

The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Australia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

AU WS
Population 26,141,369 206,179
Currency Australian Dollar (A$) Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages English English, Samoan
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +61 +685
Time zones 8 1
Emergency number 000