Moving to South Africa from Samoa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Samoa to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Samoa to South Africa. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Johannesburg averages 71°F vs 86°F in Apia, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Get free moving quotes to South Africa
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
Key Indicator Comparison
How Samoa and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Samoa performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
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
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Samoa performs better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
South Africa performs significantly better than Samoa 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 South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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 generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Revenue, Samoa (2016), South African Revenue Service (2017), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in South Africa vs Samoa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Apia | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Apia | Johannesburg |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) |
| Mar | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) |
| May | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) |
| Jun | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) |
| Jul | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) |
| Aug | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) |
| Sep | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) |
| Oct | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) |
| Nov | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) |
| Dec | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) |
South African Weather ServiceCan you move from Samoa to South Africa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.
Samoa passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa 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 South Africa?
With 5.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa 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 South Africa.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Samoa performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 43.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Samoa.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Samoa?
South Africa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 5.6 in Samoa. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Samoa?
The average high temperature in Johannesburg is 71°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Johannesburg receives around 28.1 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.
Compare further: Samoa vs. South Africa
At a Glance
WS
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 219,306 | 64,747,319 |
| Currency | Samoan Tala (WST) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | English, Samoan | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +685 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 10111 |