Moving to Samoa from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Samoa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica 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 77°F in San Jose, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Samoa compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Samoa performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Costa Rica generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica performs better than Samoa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Costa Rica performs better than Samoa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in poverty 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in literacy rate.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | San Jose | Apia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Apia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
Instituto Meteorológico NacionalVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Samoa
Visa on Arrival
Samoa passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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?
Connectivity is usually fine (Samoa: 0.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Samoa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Samoa safe for expats?
Samoa performs significantly better than Costa Rica across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Costa Rica?
Costa Rica 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 26.4 in Costa Rica. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Samoa compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Samoa?
The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
