Moving to Sao Tome and Principe from Indonesia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Indonesia to Sao Tome and Principe — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Indonesia to Sao Tome and Principe, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Indonesia and Sao Tome and Principe stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Indonesia performs better than Sao Tome and Principe 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
Sao Tome and Principe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Indonesia generally does better on environment, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Indonesia generally does better on infrastructure, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Indonesia performs better than Sao Tome and Principe across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Indonesia generally does better on family life, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia and Sao Tome and Principe. To live, work, or study long-term in Sao Tome and Principe, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sao Tome and Principe's immigration authority.
Indonesia passport holder visiting Sao Tome and Principe
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Sao Tome and Principe passport holder visiting Indonesia
Visa Online (e-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 Sao Tome and Principe?
With 2.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sao Tome and Principe can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Indonesia and Sao Tome and Principe.
Is Sao Tome and Principe safe for expats?
Indonesia performs better than Sao Tome and Principe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sao Tome and Principe is 3.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Indonesia.
How is healthcare in Sao Tome and Principe compared to Indonesia?
Sao Tome and Principe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Indonesia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 4.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sao Tome and Principe, compared to 6.9 in Indonesia. Sao Tome and Principe scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).
What language do they speak in Sao Tome and Principe?
The official language in Sao Tome and Principe is Portuguese. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.
