Moving to Samoa from Uruguay

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Uruguay to Samoa — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Uruguay 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 71°F in Montevideo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Uruguay and Samoa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

UY
11.2
WS
6.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UY
13.0
WS
9.6

Samoa performs significantly better than Uruguay across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

UY
$3,135
WS
$474
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

UY
46.3
WS
5.5

Uruguay 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

UY
16.0
WS
34.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UY
2.6t
WS
1.6t

Uruguay generally does better on environment, though Samoa leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

UY
33.2
WS
0.8
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

UY
90.0%
WS
78.0%

Uruguay 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

UY
8.3%
WS
9.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UY
$30,700
WS
$6,000

Uruguay generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

UY
78.4 yrs
WS
75.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UY
8.3
WS
17.0

Uruguay generally does better on family life, though Samoa leads in education spending.

Data: Dirección General Impositiva, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Montevideo Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
71° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Montevideo Apia
Jan–Mar 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 87°/75°F (31°/24°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) 87°/74°F (30°/23°C)
Jul–Sep 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) 85°/73°F (30°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 87°/74°F (30°/24°C)
View all months
Month Montevideo Apia
Jan 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C)
Feb 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C)
Mar 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C)
Apr 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C)
May 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C)
Jul 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C)
Aug 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C)
Sep 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C)
Oct 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C)
Nov 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C)
Dec 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C)

Data: Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Uruguay 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.

Uruguay passport

Uruguay passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Uruguay passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Samoa.
Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Uruguay

Visa Required
Samoa passport holders need a visa to enter Uruguay.

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?

With 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Samoa can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Uruguay and Samoa.

Is Samoa safe for expats?

Samoa performs significantly better than Uruguay across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Samoa is 6.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.2 in Uruguay.

How is healthcare in Samoa compared to Uruguay?

Uruguay 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 46.3 in Uruguay. Samoa scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Uruguay: 82).

What's the weather like in Samoa compared to Uruguay?

The average high temperature in Apia is 86°F, compared to 71°F in Montevideo. Apia receives around 116.7 in of rainfall per year, while Montevideo gets 43.3 in.

What language do they speak in Samoa?

The official languages in Samoa are English and Samoan. In Uruguay, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

UY WS
Population 3,407,213 206,179
Currency Uruguayan Peso (UYU) Samoan Tala (WST)
Languages Spanish English, Samoan
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +598 +685
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911