Moving to Norway from Samoa

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Samoa to Norway, and you’d need to navigate life in Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Oslo averages 49°F vs 86°F in Apia, making it significantly cooler.

Get free moving quotes to Norway

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Samoa to Norway, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2020
2

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

Who's moving to Norway?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Samoa and Norway stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.2
NO
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
NO
1.5

Norway 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
NO
$9,523
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.5
NO
51.7

Norway 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
NO
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
NO
7.2t

Samoa generally does better on environment, though Norway 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
NO
45.9
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

WS
78.0%
NO
99.0%

Norway 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%
NO
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$6,000
NO
$90,500

Norway 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
NO
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
17.0
NO
2.3

Norway 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

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Oslo
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 59°/43°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 66°/51°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Apia Oslo
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Norway

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

Norway passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Norway 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 Norway?

With 45.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Norway can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Samoa and Norway.

Is Norway safe for expats?

Norway performs significantly better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Norway is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in Norway compared to Samoa?

Norway generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 51.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Norway, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Norway scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Oslo is 49°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Oslo receives around 30.0 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Norway?

The official languages in Norway are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

Share this

At a Glance

WS NO
Population 206,179 5,553,840
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) Norwegian Krone (NOK)
Languages English, Samoan Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +685 +47
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112