Samoa on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Samoa can be done on a budget of about WS$170 per person per day by staying in beach fales with meals included and using local buses. The flight in and car hire are the main extras.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | WS$70 | WS$180 | WS$450 |
| Food & drink | WS$50 | WS$100 | WS$200 |
| Sights & tickets | WS$20 | WS$50 | WS$100 |
| Local transport | WS$30 | WS$80 | WS$150 |
| Per person, per day | WS$170 | WS$410 | WS$900 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Samoa day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the Apia waterfront past the Immaculate Conception Cathedral
- Browse the Maketi Fou market in Apia
- Watch the sunset from the beach at Lalomanu
- Walk the black lava coast of the south of Upolu
- Visit the Apia fish market early in the morning
- Join a Sunday church service to hear the singing (dress modestly)
Cheap eats
- Coconut buns (pani popo) and fruit from Maketi Fou, a few tālā
- Fish and chips or chop suey at a local café, about WS$15-25
- Oka (raw fish in coconut cream), about WS$15-25
- Sunday umu feast offered by fale hosts, often included
- Fresh coconut from a roadside stall, about WS$2-3
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in beach fales at Lalomanu on Upolu or Manase on Savai'i, open huts on the sand at about WS$180-300 for two with dinner and breakfast. Apia has simple guesthouses for the first and last nights.
Getting around cheaply
Local buses run from Apia market to most villages for a few tālā, mainly by day. From Faleolo Airport, airport shuttles are cheaper than a taxi (roughly WS$70-90). The ferry from Mulifanua to Salelologa on Savai'i costs about WS$15 per person.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Apia waterfront and Maketi Fou market, free
- Lunch: oka and chop suey at a café, about WS$25
- Afternoon: bus to the south coast and To Sua, about WS$30 with entry
- Evening: beach fale dinner (included) and sunset at Lalomanu
- Total: about WS$170 per person including a shared fale
More ways to save
- Carry cash in tālā; many villages and fales do not accept cards.
- Plan around Sunday, when shops close and buses barely run.
- Bring snorkel gear from home for the lagoons.
- Share taxis or a rental car with other travellers.
- Visit in the shoulder months of May or October.
- Check ferry timetables the day before; Sunday sailings are reduced.
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Common questions
Can you visit Samoa on a budget?
Yes, at about WS$170 a day with beach fales, local buses and market food.
Do I need a car in Samoa?
It helps a lot for touring both islands, but buses cover the main roads by day.
Can I use cards in Samoa?
In Apia hotels and larger shops, yes; carry cash for fales, villages and buses.