Cost Of Living For a Student in Samoa 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: WST
Average monthly spending for students in Samoa
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Samoa?
Students in Samoa spend around 1,200 WST per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 180 WST or as high as 8,100 WST. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Samoa
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
| 0.49 WST | 0.65 WST | 1.2 WST |
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 6,100 WST | 12,000 WST | 16,000 WST |
Bus ticket one way
| 0.41 WST | 0.61 WST | 1.2 WST |
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
1-bedroom apartment
| 310 WST | 490 WST | 1,200 WST |
2-bedroom apartment
| 410 WST | 610 WST | 1,600 WST |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 41,000 WST | 61,000 WST | 120,000 WST |
1-bedroom apartment
| 49,000 WST | 82,000 WST | 310,000 WST |
2-bedroom apartment
| 82,000 WST | 250,000 WST | 490,000 WST |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
Double Bed
Single Bed
Living Room
| 270 WST | 350 WST | 1,200 WST |
Dining Table
Sofa or Couch
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
Fridge or Freezer
Washing Machine
Stove or Cooker
Mobile Phone
Laptop or Computer
How do students spend their money in Samoa?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost19%
19% of total expenses on average (14% to 25%)
| LOW | $16 44 WST |
| AVERAGE | $110 290 WST |
| HIGH | $710 1,900 WST |
| Per Month |
Students in Samoa typically spend from 14% to 25% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 19% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 290 WST with expenditure ranging from 44 WST to 1,900 WST. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities6%
6% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $2.7 7.4 WST |
| AVERAGE | $18 49 WST |
| HIGH | $120 320 WST |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Samoa ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 49 WST with 7.4 WST and 320 WST being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $4.7 13 WST |
| AVERAGE | $31 85 WST |
| HIGH | $210 570 WST |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 13 WST to 570 WST in a month on commuting with 85 WST being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $13 37 WST |
| AVERAGE | $88 240 WST |
| HIGH | $590 1,600 WST |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Samoa is 240 WST. The cost of groceries can range between 37 WST to 1,600 WST. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $4 11 WST |
| AVERAGE | $27 73 WST |
| HIGH | $180 490 WST |
| Per Month |
Students in Samoa allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 11 WST to 490 WST with 73 WST being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping3%
3% of total expenses on average (2% to 7%)
| LOW | $3.3 9.2 WST |
| AVERAGE | $22 61 WST |
| HIGH | $150 410 WST |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 9.2 WST to 410 WST with 61 WST being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $13 35 WST |
| AVERAGE | $84 230 WST |
| HIGH | $560 1,500 WST |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 230 WST per month with 35 WST being the minimum spent amount and 1,500 WST being the maximum.
Other Expenses18%
18% of total expenses on average (12% to 24%)
| LOW | $10 28 WST |
| AVERAGE | $66 180 WST |
| HIGH | $440 1,200 WST |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Samoa
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Samoa?
Around 57% of surveyed students think that living in Samoa is affordable with proper budgeting while 43% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Samoa
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options56%
Few low-cost options44%
Based on the survey, 56% of the students living in Samoa have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 44% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Samoa whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes54%
No46%
Based on the survey, 46% of the students living in Samoa said that they don't have an emergency fund while 54% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Samoa
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy52%
We asked student guardians and parents in Samoa whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 48% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 52% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Samoa have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 45% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 55% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance45%
Easily manages finances55%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Samoa
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Samoa
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 310 WST | 490 WST | 1,200 WST |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 410 WST | 610 WST | 1,600 WST |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 490 WST | 820 WST | 2,200 WST |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 980 WST | 2,500 WST | 4,900 WST |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 820 WST | 1,200 WST | 3,500 WST |
House monthly rent cost
| 980 WST | 2,500 WST | 4,900 WST |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 1,200 WST | 3,100 WST | 4,900 WST |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Samoa ranges between 200 WST and 820 WST, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 310 WST to 1,200 WST. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 410 WST and 1,600 WST per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 490 WST to 2,200 WST. The average rent of a townhouse in Samoa is around 1,200 WST while house rental costs can be as high as 2,500 WST per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 1,200 WST to 4,900 WST per month.
Apartment and house prices in Samoa
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 41,000 WST | 61,000 WST | 120,000 WST |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 49,000 WST | 82,000 WST | 310,000 WST |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 82,000 WST | 250,000 WST | 490,000 WST |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 270,000 WST | 410,000 WST | 1.2M WST |
| $99,000 | $150,000 | $440,000 |
Townhouse price
| 350,000 WST | 820,000 WST | 3.1M WST |
House price
| 410,000 WST | 2.5M WST | 3.5M WST |
Villa price
| 490,000 WST | 2.7M WST | 4.1M WST |
The average price of a studio apartment in Samoa can range from 41,000 WST to 120,000 WST depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 49,000 WST to 310,000 WST. A villa can cost you 2.7M WST on average with prices ranging from 490,000 WST to 4.1M WST.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Samoa will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 35 | x100 monthly income | 200 |
Property prices in Samoa can be x100 to x200 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x100 multiples of the average monthly salary in Samoa.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Samoa is around 30%. This means that people pay 30% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 20% to 40% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
28% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Samoa
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Samoa
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 49 WST. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 12 WST to 33 WST with 25 WST being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 16 WST but can range between 9.8 WST and 49 WST depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Samoa is around 6%. This means that people pay 6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3% to 10% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Samoa
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Samoa
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Samoa is approximatly 4.9 WST with meal cost ranging from 2.5 WST to 8.2 WST. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 8.2 WST and 25 WST with 12 WST being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Samoa.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 16 WST to 98 WST with the average cost being 25 WST for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Samoa.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Samoa is around 3.3 WST. Price ranges between 2 WST and 4.9 WST depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Samoa is 2 WST. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 2.5 WST and the minimum being 1.6 WST depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 1.6 WST on average with 1.2 WST and 2.5 WST being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Samoa is between 2.8 WST and 5.1 WST depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 3.6 WST.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 4.9 WST. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Samoa costs around 1.8 WST on average with prices rangeing between 1.3 WST and 2.6 WST depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
| 0.49 WST | 0.65 WST | 1.2 WST |
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 0.49 WST to 1.2 WST. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 1.1 WST on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Samoa is around 27%. This means that students spend 27% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 19% to 33% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 37 WST to 1,600 WST with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
