Moving to United Arab Emirates from Samoa

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Samoa to United Arab Emirates, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

Get free moving quotes to United Arab Emirates

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 United Arab Emirates stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.2
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
AE
5.9

United Arab Emirates 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
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.5
AE
29.1

United Arab Emirates 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
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
AE
18.3t

Samoa performs better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

WS
0.8
AE
40.0
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

WS
78.0%
AE
100.0%

United Arab Emirates 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%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$6,000
AE
$75,600

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Samoa across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

WS
75.2 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
17.0
AE
5.1

Samoa generally does better on family life, though United Arab Emirates leads in life expectancy.

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

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Apia Abu Dhabi
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data:

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Samoa passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates?

With 40.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates.

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Samoa?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Samoa?

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

Share this

At a Glance

WS AE
Population 206,179 9,915,803
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages English, Samoan Arabic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +685 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999