Moving to Samoa from Lesotho

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Lesotho to Samoa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Lesotho to Samoa. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Apia averages 86°F vs 74°F in Maseru, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Lesotho to Samoa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

LS
37.7
WS
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LS
21.6
WS
9.6

Samoa performs significantly better than Lesotho across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LS
$386
WS
$474
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LS
1.5
WS
5.5

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho 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

LS
100.0
WS
34.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LS
0.4t
WS
1.6t

Lesotho generally does better on environment, though Samoa leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LS
0.4
WS
0.8
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

LS
48.0%
WS
78.0%

Samoa performs significantly better than Lesotho across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LS
16.5%
WS
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LS
$2,500
WS
$6,000

Samoa performs significantly better than Lesotho across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LS
59.6 yrs
WS
75.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LS
48.4
WS
17.0

Samoa generally does better on family life, though Lesotho leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Maseru Rain: 25.3 in/yr (642 mm)
74° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Maseru Apia
Jan–Mar 81°/57°F (27°/14°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/39°F (20°/4°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/37°F (20°/3°C) 85°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) 87°/74°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Maseru Apia
Jan 84°/59°F (28.7°/14.8°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C)
Feb 82°/58°F (27.6°/14.6°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C)
Mar 78°/54°F (25.7°/12.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C)
Apr 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C)
May 67°/39°F (19.7°/3.7°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 62°/32°F (16.7°/0.2°C) 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C)
Jul 62°/31°F (16.9°/-0.5°C) 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C)
Aug 67°/36°F (19.7°/2.4°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C)
Sep 74°/44°F (23.3°/6.9°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C)
Oct 77°/50°F (24.8°/10.1°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C)
Nov 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.9°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Dec 82°/56°F (27.9°/13.4°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)

Data: Lesotho Meteorological Services Lesotho Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Lesotho 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.

Lesotho passport

Lesotho passport holder visiting Samoa

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

Samoa passport holder visiting Lesotho

Visa Free
Samoa passport holders can enter Lesotho 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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Samoa has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Samoa safe for expats?

Samoa performs significantly better than Lesotho across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 37.7 in Lesotho.

How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Lesotho?

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Samoa, compared to 1.5 in Lesotho. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Lesotho: 53).

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

The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 74°F in Maseru. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Maseru gets 25.3 in.

What language do they speak in Samoa?

The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Lesotho, the official languages are English and Sotho.

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At a Glance

LS WS
Population 2,193,970 206,179
Currency Lesotho Loti (LSL) Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages English, Sotho English, Samoan
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +266 +685
Time zones 1 1