Moving to United States from Tonga

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Tonga to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Tonga to United States. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Tonga to United States, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
230 ↑ 18% vs 2022

people moved from Tonga 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

How Tonga and United States stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TO
0.9
US
6.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TO
8.5
US
14.2

Tonga performs better than United States across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TO
$512
US
$13,473
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TO
10.1
US
36.1

United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Tonga 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

TO
24.0
US
14.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TO
1.6t
US
13.6t

Tonga generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TO
8.0
US
37.8
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

TO
67.0%
US
92.0%

United States performs significantly better than Tonga across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TO
2.3%
US
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TO
$6,600
US
$73,600

United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Tonga leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TO
77.5 yrs
US
80.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TO
12.4
US
5.2

United States generally does better on family life, though Tonga leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Tonga 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.

Tonga passport

Tonga passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Tonga passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Tonga

Visa on Arrival
United States passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Tonga.

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 States?

With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Tonga and United States.

Is United States safe for expats?

Tonga performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Tonga.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Tonga?

United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Tonga leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 10.1 in Tonga. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Tonga: 57).

What language do they speak in United States?

The official language in United States is English. In Tonga, the official languages are English and Tongan.

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At a Glance

TO US
Population 105,517 337,341,954
Currency Tongan Paʻanga (TOP) United States Dollar ($)
Languages English, Tongan English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +676 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911