Moving to Samoa from Chile

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Chile to Samoa, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Samoan. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Apia averages 86°F vs 73°F in Santiago, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Chile 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

CL
6.7
WS
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CL
10.3
WS
9.6

Samoa performs significantly better than Chile across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CL
$3,612
WS
$474
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CL
31.7
WS
5.5

Chile 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

CL
18.0
WS
34.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CL
3.9t
WS
1.6t

Chile 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

CL
22.7
WS
0.8
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

CL
90.0%
WS
78.0%

Chile 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

CL
9.0%
WS
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CL
$29,500
WS
$6,000

Chile 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

CL
79.8 yrs
WS
75.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CL
6.5
WS
17.0

Chile generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in literacy rate.

Data: Chilean Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Santiago Rain: 13.5 in/yr (342 mm)
73° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Santiago Apia
Jan–Mar 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) 85°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) 87°/74°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Santiago Apia
Jan 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C)
Feb 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C)
Mar 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C)
Apr 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C)
May 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C)
Jul 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C)
Aug 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C)
Sep 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C)
Oct 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C)
Nov 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Dec 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)

Data: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chile 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.

Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting Samoa

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

Samoa passport holder visiting Chile

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

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 Chile and Samoa.

Is Samoa safe for expats?

Samoa performs significantly better than Chile across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Chile.

How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Chile?

Chile 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 31.7 in Chile. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.

What language do they speak in Samoa?

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

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At a Glance

CL WS
Population 18,430,408 206,179
Currency Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF) Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages Spanish English, Samoan
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +56 +685
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 131