Moving to Samoa from United Arab Emirates

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What to Expect

Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Samoa? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from United Arab Emirates 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Samoa compared to United Arab Emirates.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AE
0.5
WS
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AE
5.9
WS
9.6

United Arab Emirates performs better than Samoa across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AE
$3,727
WS
$474
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AE
29.1
WS
5.5

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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

AE
70.0
WS
34.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AE
18.3t
WS
1.6t

Samoa performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AE
40.0
WS
0.8
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

AE
100.0%
WS
78.0%

United Arab Emirates performs better than Samoa across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AE
2.7%
WS
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AE
$75,600
WS
$6,000

United Arab Emirates performs better than Samoa across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AE
79.6 yrs
WS
75.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AE
5.1
WS
17.0

United Arab Emirates generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Apia Rain: 116.7 in/yr (2965 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Abu Dhabi Apia
Jan–Mar 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) 85°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) 87°/74°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Abu Dhabi Apia
Jan 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C)
Feb 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C)
Mar 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C)
Apr 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C)
May 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C)
Jul 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C)
Aug 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C)
Sep 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C)
Oct 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C)
Nov 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Dec 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)

Data:

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.

United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
United Arab Emirates passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Samoa.
Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Samoa passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Arab Emirates.

Data: 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: 0.8 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?

United Arab Emirates performs better than Samoa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.

How is healthcare in Samoa compared to United Arab Emirates?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Samoa, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).

What's the weather like in Samoa compared to United Arab Emirates?

The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in Samoa?

The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

AE WS
Population 9,915,803 206,179
Currency United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages Arabic English, Samoan
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +971 +685
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999