Moving to Vanuatu from Samoa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Samoa to Vanuatu — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Samoa to Vanuatu. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Samoa and Vanuatu stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Samoa generally does better on safety, though Vanuatu leads in homicide rate.
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
Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu 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 generally does better on environment, though Vanuatu leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Samoa generally does better on infrastructure, though Vanuatu leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Vanuatu generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa 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 Vanuatu 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Apia | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) | 84°/71°F (29°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Apia | Port Vila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.4°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) | 86°/74°F (30.2°/23.6°C) |
| Mar | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) |
| Apr | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) | 84°/72°F (28.9°/22.5°C) |
| May | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) | 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) |
| Jun | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) | 80°/69°F (26.7°/20.5°C) |
| Jul | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) | 79°/67°F (25.9°/19.5°C) |
| Aug | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) | 79°/67°F (26.1°/19.3°C) |
| Sep | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) | 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.6°C) |
| Oct | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) | 82°/69°F (27.8°/20.6°C) |
| Nov | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) | 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.7°C) |
| Dec | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) | 85°/72°F (29.7°/22.4°C) |
Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards DepartmentVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa and Vanuatu. To live, work, or study long-term in Vanuatu, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Vanuatu's immigration authority.
Samoa passport holder visiting Vanuatu
Visa Free
Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu?
With 1.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Vanuatu 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 Vanuatu.
Is Vanuatu safe for expats?
Samoa generally does better on safety, though Vanuatu leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Vanuatu is 0.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.
How is healthcare in Vanuatu compared to Samoa?
Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vanuatu leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Vanuatu, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Vanuatu scores 47 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).
What's the weather like in Vanuatu compared to Samoa?
The average high temperature in Port Vila is 83°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Port Vila receives around 87.5 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.
What language do they speak in Vanuatu?
The official languages in Vanuatu are Bislama, English and French. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.
