Moving to Malawi from Samoa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Samoa to Malawi — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Samoa to Malawi. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lilongwe averages 75°F vs 86°F in Apia, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Samoa to Malawi.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Samoa generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate.
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
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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
Samoa generally does better on environment, though Malawi leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Samoa performs better than Malawi 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
Samoa generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi leads in unemployment 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
Samoa performs better than Malawi 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Apia | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Apia | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa and Malawi. To live, work, or study long-term in Malawi, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malawi's immigration authority.
Samoa passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Free
Malawi passport holder visiting Samoa
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malawi?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malawi has 0.1 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 Malawi safe for expats?
Samoa generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Samoa?
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Samoa?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.
