Moving to Australia from Samoa

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Samoa to Australia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Samoa to Australia. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 86°F in Apia, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Samoa to Australia.

Moved in 2023
31 ↓ 54% vs 2022

people moved from Samoa to Australia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Australia?

Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Australia compared to Samoa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.2
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Samoa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

WS
$474
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.5
AU
39.8

Australia 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

WS
34.0
AU
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
AU
14.1t

Samoa generally does better on environment, though Australia 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

WS
0.8
AU
35.1
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

WS
78.0%
AU
96.0%

Australia performs significantly 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

WS
9.8%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$6,000
AU
$59,500

Australia 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

WS
75.2 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
17.0
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Samoa across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Canberra
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Apia Canberra
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Australia

Visa Required
Samoa passport holders need a visa to enter Australia.
Australia passport

Australia passport holder visiting Samoa

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Australia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Australia: 35.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Australia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Samoa?

Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

The official language in Australia is English. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

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At a Glance

WS AU
Population 206,179 26,141,369
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages English, Samoan English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +685 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 000