Moving to Cook Islands from Sao Tome and Principe
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sao Tome and Principe to Cook Islands — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Sao Tome and Principe to Cook Islands, and you’d need to navigate life in Cook Islands Māori and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Sao Tome and Principe and Cook Islands stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sao Tome and Principe performs better than Cook Islands across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
Sao Tome and Principe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cook Islands leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Cook Islands performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Cook Islands performs significantly better than Sao Tome and Principe across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Cook Islands generally does better on family life, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sao Tome and Principe and Cook Islands. To live, work, or study long-term in Cook Islands, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Cook Islands's immigration authority.
Sao Tome and Principe passport holder visiting Cook Islands
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Cook Islands?
With 18.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cook Islands can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sao Tome and Principe and Cook Islands.
Is Cook Islands safe for expats?
Sao Tome and Principe performs better than Cook Islands across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cook Islands is 3.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 in Sao Tome and Principe.
How is healthcare in Cook Islands compared to Sao Tome and Principe?
Sao Tome and Principe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Cook Islands leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 13.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Cook Islands, compared to 4.9 in Sao Tome and Principe. Cook Islands scores 46 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sao Tome and Principe: 59).
What language do they speak in Cook Islands?
The official languages in Cook Islands are Cook Islands Māori and English. In Sao Tome and Principe, the official language is Portuguese.
