Moving to Samoa from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Samoa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Samoa, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Samoan. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Apia averages 86°F vs 55°F in Zurich, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Samoa compared to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs better than Samoa across all safety metrics.
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
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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
Switzerland generally does better on environment, though Samoa leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
share of households with internet
Switzerland performs better than Samoa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in top income tax rate.
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
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), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Ministry of Revenue, Samoa (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Samoa vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Apia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Apia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Can you move from Switzerland to Samoa?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland and Samoa. To live, work, or study long-term in Samoa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Samoa's immigration authority.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Samoa
Visa on Arrival
Samoa passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Samoa?
Connectivity is usually fine (Samoa: 0.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Samoa offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Samoa safe for expats?
Switzerland performs better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Samoa, compared to 44.8 in Switzerland. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Samoa compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Samoa?
The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
