🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Samoa versus $2,643 in United States.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,576 in Samoa versus $3,857 in United States.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Samoa versus $5,070 in United States.
🙂Living in Samoa costs about 62% less than in United States on average.
📊Samoa (25% below) and United States (97% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Samoa: monthly costs span $999 to $999, compared to $1,343–$5,081 in United States. City choice carries more weight in Samoa.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Samoa
United States
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$53.7WST 146
$20.04$20.04
168.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.26WST 98.8
$76.0$76.0
-52.30%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.08WST 38.35
$11.42$11.42
23.29%
Cappuccino
$2.51WST 6.83
$5.39$5.39
-53.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10WST 5.73
$2.55$2.55
-17.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27WST 3.47
$2.04$2.04
-37.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.25WST 11.59
$6.14$6.14
-30.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50WST 9.54
$7.18$7.18
-51.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Samoa
United States
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.84WST 5.00
$1.04$1.04
76.92%
White Bread(500g)
$0.77WST 2.10
$3.65$3.65
-78.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.75WST 4.76
$4.73$4.73
-63.00%
Eggs
$4.11WST 11.20
$4.38$4.38
-6.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$0.92WST 2.49
$12.76$12.76
-92.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.60WST 9.81
$12.42$12.42
-71.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.22WST 22.41
$16.41$16.41
-49.91%
Apples(1kg)
$4.94WST 13.45
$5.42$5.42
-8.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.83WST 4.97
$1.65$1.65
10.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.82WST 4.95
$4.59$4.59
-60.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.31WST 11.74
$4.91$4.91
-12.22%
Potato(1kg)
$3.48WST 9.49
$2.92$2.92
19.18%
Onion(1kg)
$1.10WST 2.99
$3.13$3.13
-64.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
-
$2.26$2.26
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19WST 3.25
$2.30$2.30
-48.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.04WST 16.46
$9.89$9.89
-38.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.29WST 44.39
$15.10$15.10
7.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80WST 4.91
$1.91$1.91
-5.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49WST 9.51
$3.66$3.66
-4.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Samoa
United States
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.49WST 9.52
$2.48$2.48
40.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$64.8$64.8
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.47WST 14.91
$3.84$3.84
42.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.76$1.76
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$21.53WST 58.7
$30.58$30.58
-29.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.04WST 2.84
$0.96$0.96
8.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$30.5K$30.5K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.4K$26.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samoa
United States
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$17.93WST 48.84
$204$204
-91.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.66WST 48.10
$57.3$57.3
-69.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.75WST 97.4
$71.2$71.2
-49.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Samoa
United States
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$46.67$46.67
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.12$22.12
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$13.84$13.84
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Samoa
United States
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$1,384$1,384
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$22.7K$22.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Samoa
United States
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.9WST 139
$53.0$53.0
-3.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.63WST 108
$43.17$43.17
-8.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.0WST 207
$90.6$90.6
-16.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.4WST 271
$114$114
-12.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Samoa
United States
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$352WST 958
$1,766$1,766
-80.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$150WST 408
$1,459$1,459
-89.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$707WST 1,925
$2,832$2,832
-75.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,134WST 3,091
$2,411$2,411
-52.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,287$3,287
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,650$2,650
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Samoa
United States
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$4,379$4,379
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
6.51
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Samoa: June 1, 2026
Last update for United States: May 30, 2026
Cost Highlights
⭐Dining out costs 109% more in United States.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Samoa vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Samoa and United States?
At $999 per month in Samoa and $3,212 in United States, there's a 222% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Samoa is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in United States beats Samoa across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Samoa or United States?
In Samoa, $1,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Samoa or United States?
It depends on what you're after. Samoa wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.