Moving to Switzerland from Samoa

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Samoa to Switzerland, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Zurich averages 55°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 Switzerland.

Moved in 2021
1

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

Who's moving to Switzerland?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to Samoa.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.3
CH
0.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
CH
2.4

Switzerland 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
$475
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.6
CH
44.8

Switzerland 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
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
CH
3.8t

Samoa generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

WS
0.9
CH
47.0
Internet access United Nations SDG Indicators, 2025

share of households with internet

WS
75.3%
CH
97.3%

Switzerland performs significantly better than Samoa across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WS
5.0%
CH
4.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$5,873
CH
$114,769

Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

WS
71.8 yrs
CH
84.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
12.3
CH
3.4

Switzerland generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2018–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Revenue, Samoa (2016), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Switzerland vs Samoa

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Zurich Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Zurich
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Apia Zurich
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Can you move from Samoa to Switzerland?

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

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Switzerland

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

Switzerland passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Switzerland 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 Switzerland?

Connectivity is usually fine (Switzerland: 47.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Switzerland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Switzerland safe for expats?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.3 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Samoa?

Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 5.6 in Samoa. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Zurich is 55°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Zurich receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

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At a Glance

WS CH
Population 219,306 9,092,436
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages English, Samoan French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +685 +41
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 112