Moving to Samoa from Cook Islands
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Cook Islands to Samoa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Cook Islands to Samoa.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Cook Islands to Samoa, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Samoa?
Top countries of origin for Samoa's foreign-born residents.
- 1,307
- 1,218
- 297
- 270
- 110
- 85
- · · ·
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16.9
Cook Islands
Key Indicator Comparison
How Cook Islands and Samoa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Cook Islands generally does better on safety, though Samoa leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cook Islands leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Cook Islands generally does better on infrastructure, though Samoa leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Cook Islands generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Cook Islands generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cook Islands 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.
Samoa passport holder visiting Cook Islands
Visa FreeData: 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 Cook Islands and Samoa.
Is Samoa safe for expats?
Cook Islands generally does better on safety, though Samoa leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.5 in Cook Islands.
How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Cook Islands?
Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cook Islands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Samoa, compared to 13.4 in Cook Islands. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cook Islands: 46).
What language do they speak in Samoa?
The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Cook Islands, the official languages are Cook Islands Māori and English.
