Moving to Samoa from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Finland 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 48°F in Helsinki, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Finland 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

FI
1.2
WS
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
WS
9.6

Finland 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

FI
$6,433
WS
$474
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

FI
43.8
WS
5.5

Finland 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

FI
7.0
WS
34.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
WS
1.6t

Finland 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

FI
34.5
WS
0.8
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

FI
93.0%
WS
78.0%

Finland 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

FI
7.2%
WS
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$57,500
WS
$6,000

Finland 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

FI
81.8 yrs
WS
75.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
2.1
WS
17.0

Finland performs better than Samoa across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Apia
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 85°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 87°/74°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Apia
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland 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.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa Free
Finland passport holders can enter Samoa without a visa.
Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
Samoa passport holders can enter Finland without a visa.

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 Finland and Samoa.

Is Samoa safe for expats?

Finland performs better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Finland.

How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Finland?

Finland 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 43.8 in Finland. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

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

The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Samoa?

The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

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At a Glance

FI WS
Population 5,601,547 206,179
Currency Euro (€) Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages Finnish, Swedish English, Samoan
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +358 +685
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112