Moving to Solomon Islands from Samoa

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Samoa to Solomon Islands.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Solomon Islands compared to Samoa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2018

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.2
SB
3.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
SB
11.2

Samoa generally does better on safety, though Solomon Islands leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

WS
$474
SB
$153
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.5
SB
1.9

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands 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
SB
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
SB
0.4t

Samoa generally does better on environment, though Solomon Islands leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

WS
0.8
SB
0.1
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

WS
78.0%
SB
36.0%

Samoa performs better than Solomon Islands 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%
SB
1.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$6,000
SB
$2,700

Solomon Islands generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

WS
75.2 yrs
SB
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
17.0
SB
20.0

Solomon Islands generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in infant mortality.

Data: 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

Honiara Rain: 129.5 in/yr (3290 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Honiara
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 87°/75°F (30°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 85°/72°F (29°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Apia Honiara
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/23.8°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.8°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.6°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.5°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.2°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 86°/73°F (29.9°/22.9°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 85°/72°F (29.3°/22.5°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 85°/72°F (29.4°/22.3°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.6°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 86°/73°F (30.1°/22.8°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.2°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 87°/74°F (30.7°/23.6°C)

Data: Solomon Islands Meteorological Service Solomon Islands Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Solomon Islands

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

Solomon Islands passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Solomon Islands 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 Solomon Islands?

Connectivity is usually fine (Solomon Islands: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Solomon Islands offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Solomon Islands safe for expats?

Samoa generally does better on safety, though Solomon Islands leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Solomon Islands is 3.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in Solomon Islands compared to Samoa?

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Solomon Islands leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Solomon Islands, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Solomon Islands scores 47 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

What's the weather like in Solomon Islands compared to Samoa?

The average high temperature in Honiara is 86°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Honiara receives around 129.5 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Solomon Islands?

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

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At a Glance

WS SB
Population 206,179 702,694
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) Solomon Islands Dollar (SBD)
Languages English, Samoan English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +685 +677
Time zones 1 1