Moving to California from Sao Tome and Principe

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Sao Tome and Principe to California — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Sao Tome and Principe to California, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Sao Tome and Principe to California, based on official data.

Moved in 2020
3 ↓ 25% vs 2019

people moved from Sao Tome and Principe to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sao Tome and Principe to California.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

ST
12.4%
CA
28.4%

Sao Tome and Principe performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

ST
51.0%
CA
92.6%

California performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ST
14.2%
CA
5.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

ST
$5,500
CA
$84,028

California performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ST
67.1 yrs
CA
79.0 yrs

California performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Sao Tome and Principe passport

Sao Tome and Principe passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Sao Tome and Principe passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Sao Tome and Principe

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Sao Tome and Principe without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from California?

Usually fine from major cities in California. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in California compared to Sao Tome and Principe?

Sao Tome and Principe performs better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What language do they speak in California?

The official language in California is English. In Sao Tome and Principe, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

ST
Population 217,164 37,253,956
Currency São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra (STD) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Portuguese English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +239 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911