Minimum-wage family near Apia
Assumed: a family of six near Apia with one parent on the minimum wage (40 hours a week, private sector), commuting by bus to Malua, with one child in primary school and one in secondary school.
+SAT$321.5 a month
| Item | Mid-2021 | October 2026 | Change a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income: minimum wage, gross (173.33 hours a month) The minimum wage stayed at SAT$3 an hour from 2020 1. It rose to SAT$4.00 in July 2024 and SAT$4.84 in July 2025 2. It rose to SAT$5.24 an hour from 1 July 2026 3. The steps to SAT$4.84 followed the previous government's plan 4. Laʻauli's Cabinet approved the SAT$5.24 step in May 2026 5. 40 hours a week is assumed. | SAT$520.00 | SAT$908.27 | +SAT$388.27 |
| Deduction: National Provident Fund, 10% of gross pay Workers pay at least 10% of gross pay into the National Provident Fund 6. This money is saved in the worker's own account, so it is not lost. It still means less cash each month. | SAT$52.00 | SAT$90.83 | −SAT$38.83 |
| Deduction: income tax (PAYE) This worker earns about SAT$6,240 a year in 2021 and SAT$10,899 a year in 2026, so pays none. | SAT$0.00 | SAT$0.00 | ±SAT$0 |
| Cost: electricity (cash power), 150 kWh In August 2021, prepaid household power cost SAT$0.62 a unit for the first 50 units and SAT$0.76 above that 7. The 2021/22 Budget cut power and water prices by 20% from 1 November 2021 8. Households have paid SAT$0.52 and SAT$0.63 a unit since the cut 9. The discount ended for businesses in 2023 but stayed for homes 10. Use of 150 kWh a month, and the 50-unit band counted per month, are assumptions. The Observer page shows a 2 March 2025 date stamp, but its text is about August 2021. | SAT$107.00 | SAT$89.00 | +SAT$18 |
| Cost: water (SWA metered), 32.6 m³ Before November 2021, SWA charged households SAT$0.77, SAT$1.67 and SAT$2.17 per m³ across its three steps; from November 2021 it charges SAT$0.61, SAT$1.34 and SAT$1.74 11. SWA still lists SAT$0.61, SAT$1.34 and SAT$1.74 12. A 2022 water profile gives 32.6 m³ a month as average household use 13. Use of 32.6 m³ a month on a metered SWA supply is assumed. | SAT$40.94 | SAT$32.73 | +SAT$8.21 |
| Cost: cooking gas, one 9 kg bottle Amount of 1 bottle a month is assumed. | SAT$59.25 | SAT$79.80 | −SAT$20.55 |
| Cost: Re-packed rice, 20 kg Amount of 20 kg a month is assumed. | SAT$54.60 | SAT$82.60 | −SAT$28 |
| Cost: Chicken leg quarters, 10 kg Amount of 10 kg a month is assumed. | SAT$44.90 | SAT$69.30 | −SAT$24.4 |
| Cost: Tinned fish (SAT$3–3.99 range, 425 g), 8 cans Amount of 8 cans a month is assumed. | SAT$26.00 | SAT$31.68 | −SAT$5.68 |
| Cost: Bread, 20 loaves Amount of 20 loaves a month is assumed. | SAT$32.80 | SAT$42.40 | −SAT$9.6 |
| Cost: Raw sugar, 4 kg Amount of 4 kg a month is assumed. | SAT$11.12 | SAT$16.84 | −SAT$5.72 |
| Cost: bus Apia–Malua, 44 one-way adult trips | SAT$114.40 | SAT$149.60 | −SAT$35.2 |
| Cost: school registration fees, Year 6 and Year 10 (SAT$130.50 a year, spread over 12 months) SBS prices up to September 2026 do not show a fall yet. | SAT$10.88 | SAT$10.88 | ±SAT$0 |
| Income: Back-to-School assistance, 6 people (one-off, spread over 12 months) | SAT$0.00 | SAT$75.00 | +SAT$75 |
The minimum wage rise is the largest gain, from SAT$3 to SAT$5.24 an hour 13.
Sources (18)
- Minimum wage increases by 40 cents
- Budget Address 2025/2026
- Government Delivers on Key Social Commitments from 1 July 2026 (Talamua, government press release)
- Minimum wage increases by 40 cents
- Minimum wage increases by 40 cents
- Members Guide
- Electricity prices increases in August
- Budget Address 2021/2022
- Notice of Change in Tariff per Unit of Electricity (Order of Cabinet – FK (23) 25)
- Electric Power Corporation Clarifies Tariff Structure Reinstatement Effective November 1, 2023
- Water Accounts Samoa, 2021-22
- Rates & Tariffs
- SDG-6 Profile of Samoa
- Bus and Taxi Fare Rate, Road Traffic Order 2014 (effective 28 April 2014, revision January 2015)
- Bus and Taxi Fare Rate, Road Traffic Order 2014 (effective 28 April 2014, revision January 2015)
- Cabinet Approves New Taxi and Bus Fare Adjustment
- PM delays $32.25m back to school payout
- Over 17,800 Receive Back-to-School Packages in Samoa
Pensioner couple in Savaiʻi
Assumed: a couple in Savaiʻi, one aged 72 and one aged 67, living on the senior citizens benefit, on SWA water, travelling by bus from Salelologa to Tuasivi.
+SAT$484.52 a month
| Item | Mid-2021 | October 2026 | Change a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income: senior citizens benefit, partner aged 72 | SAT$160.00 | SAT$500.00 | +SAT$340 |
| Income: senior citizens benefit, partner aged 67 | SAT$160.00 | SAT$300.00 | +SAT$140 |
| Cost: electricity (cash power), 60 kWh In August 2021, prepaid household power cost SAT$0.62 a unit for the first 50 units and SAT$0.76 above that 5. The 2021/22 Budget cut power and water prices by 20% from 1 November 2021 6. Households have paid SAT$0.52 and SAT$0.63 a unit since the cut 7. The discount ended for businesses in 2023 but stayed for homes 8. Use of 60 kWh a month, and the 50-unit band counted per month, are assumptions. The Observer page shows a 2 March 2025 date stamp, but its text is about August 2021. | SAT$38.60 | SAT$32.30 | +SAT$6.3 |
| Cost: water (SWA metered), 15 m³ | SAT$11.55 | SAT$9.15 | +SAT$2.4 |
| Cost: Re-packed rice, 8 kg Amount of 8 kg a month is assumed. | SAT$21.84 | SAT$33.04 | −SAT$11.2 |
| Cost: Tinned fish (SAT$3–3.99 range, 425 g), 8 cans Amount of 8 cans a month is assumed. | SAT$26.00 | SAT$31.68 | −SAT$5.68 |
| Cost: Raw sugar, 2 kg Amount of 2 kg a month is assumed. | SAT$5.56 | SAT$8.42 | −SAT$2.86 |
| Cost: Bread, 8 loaves Amount of 8 loaves a month is assumed. | SAT$13.12 | SAT$16.96 | −SAT$3.84 |
| Cost: bus Salelologa–Tuasivi, 8 one-way adult trips | SAT$16.80 | SAT$22.40 | −SAT$5.6 |
| Income: Back-to-School assistance, 2 people (one-off, spread over 12 months) | SAT$0.00 | SAT$25.00 | +SAT$25 |
The pension rises are the largest gain: SAT$340 more a month for the partner over 70 and SAT$140 more for the partner under 70 32.
Sources (14)
- Budget Address 2021/2022
- Budget Address 2025/2026
- Government Delivers on Key Social Commitments from 1 July 2026 (Talamua, government press release)
- National Social Protection Policy Framework 2023
- Electricity prices increases in August
- Budget Address 2021/2022
- Notice of Change in Tariff per Unit of Electricity (Order of Cabinet – FK (23) 25)
- Electric Power Corporation Clarifies Tariff Structure Reinstatement Effective November 1, 2023
- Water Accounts Samoa, 2021-22
- Rates & Tariffs
- Bus and Taxi Fare Rate, Road Traffic Order 2014 (effective 28 April 2014, revision January 2015)
- Samoa Shipping Corporation – FAQ
- PM delays $32.25m back to school payout
- Over 17,800 Receive Back-to-School Packages in Samoa
Public servant's young family in Apia
Assumed: a family of four in Apia; one parent is a public servant at Principal Officer level or below on SAT$24,000 a year in mid-2021, with a toddler and a baby born after 1 July 2026, a car and cooking gas.
+SAT$104.36 a month
| Item | Mid-2021 | October 2026 | Change a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income: public service salary, gross | SAT$2,000.00 | SAT$2,200.00 | +SAT$200 |
| Deduction: National Provident Fund, 10% of gross pay Workers pay at least 10% of gross pay into the National Provident Fund 2. It is saved in the worker's own account. | SAT$200.00 | SAT$220.00 | −SAT$20 |
| Deduction: income tax (PAYE) Tax here is worked on gross pay; I did not confirm whether NPF is taken off first. | SAT$150.00 | SAT$198.17 | −SAT$48.17 |
| Income: Child Wellbeing Benefit (paid so far) The benefit started on 1 July 2026, but the first payments are due in January 2027 3. A government release said it 'has now commenced' 4. Children registered by 30 November will get backdated payments from 1 July 2026 5. Talamua describes SAT$100 payments tied to health checks at set ages, not every month 6. On Upolu, Talamua later gave 30 October 2026 as the registration end 7. Sources disagree on the deadline. No cash had reached families by 20 October 2026. | SAT$0.00 | SAT$0.00 | ±SAT$0 |
| Cost: electricity (cash power), 200 kWh In August 2021, prepaid household power cost SAT$0.62 a unit for the first 50 units and SAT$0.76 above that 8. The 2021/22 Budget cut power and water prices by 20% from 1 November 2021 9. Households have paid SAT$0.52 and SAT$0.63 a unit since the cut 10. The discount ended for businesses in 2023 but stayed for homes 11. Use of 200 kWh a month, and the 50-unit band counted per month, are assumptions. The Observer page shows a 2 March 2025 date stamp, but its text is about August 2021. | SAT$145.00 | SAT$120.50 | +SAT$24.5 |
| Cost: water (SWA metered), 25 m³ | SAT$28.25 | SAT$22.55 | +SAT$5.7 |
| Cost: cooking gas, one 9 kg bottle Amount of 1 bottle a month is assumed. | SAT$59.25 | SAT$79.80 | −SAT$20.55 |
| Cost: Petrol, 60 litres Amount of 60 litres a month is assumed. The Ministry of Finance set petrol at SAT$3.58 a litre for October 2026 14. | SAT$157.80 | SAT$212.40 | −SAT$54.6 |
| Cost: Nappies, 5–10 kg size, 10 packs Amount of 10 packs a month is assumed. SBS calls the item 'Diapers (a)' in 2021 and 'Diapers Soft Love (a)' in 2026, with the same weight and size; that they are the same product is my inference. | SAT$78.90 | SAT$75.10 | +SAT$3.8 |
| Cost: Chicken leg quarters, 8 kg Amount of 8 kg a month is assumed. | SAT$35.92 | SAT$55.44 | −SAT$19.52 |
| Cost: Re-packed rice, 12 kg Amount of 12 kg a month is assumed. | SAT$32.76 | SAT$49.56 | −SAT$16.8 |
| Income: Back-to-School assistance, 4 people (one-off, spread over 12 months) | SAT$0.00 | SAT$50.00 | +SAT$50 |
The 10% cost-of-living rise adds SAT$200 a month before tax, but SAT$68.17 of it goes to tax and NPF, and petrol and gas cost more 1.
Sources (16)
- Civil servants get pay rise this week
- Members Guide
- District Development Funds — Facts, Accountability and Support for Samoan Families
- Government Delivers on Key Social Commitments from 1 July 2026 (Talamua, government press release)
- GOVT LAUNCHES Child Wellbeing Benefits Program
- GOVT LAUNCHES Child Wellbeing Benefits Program
- Registrations Underway for Child Wellbeing Beneficiaries
- Electricity prices increases in August
- Budget Address 2021/2022
- Notice of Change in Tariff per Unit of Electricity (Order of Cabinet – FK (23) 25)
- Electric Power Corporation Clarifies Tariff Structure Reinstatement Effective November 1, 2023
- Water Accounts Samoa, 2021-22
- Rates & Tariffs
- Press Releases – Ministry of Finance
- PM delays $32.25m back to school payout
- Over 17,800 Receive Back-to-School Packages in Samoa
Everyday prices
| Item | 2021 | 2024 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking gas (LPG), 9 kg bottle SBS Table 3 average retail prices: June 2021 (provisional) 1, December 2024, September 2026. | SAT$59.25 | SAT$72.50 | SAT$79.80 |
| Petrol, 1 litre The Ministry of Finance price for October 2026 is SAT$3.58 a litre 1. | SAT$2.63 | SAT$2.88 | SAT$3.54 |
| Electricity, cash power, per kWh (SBS average) This is an SBS average, not a tariff band. EPC's household bands since the 2021 cut are SAT$0.52 and SAT$0.63 1. | SAT$0.67 | SAT$0.575 | SAT$0.575 |
| Water, SWA household, per m³ in the 15–40 m³ step SBS says a 20% tariff cut for all customers came in November 2021 1. | SAT$1.67 | SAT$1.34 | SAT$1.34 |
| National exam fee, Years 12–13 | SAT$25.50 | SAT$28.00 | SAT$28.00 |
Sources
Cooking gas (LPG), 9 kg bottle
- Consumer Price Index June 2021 (Table 3. Average Retail Prices of Selected Commodities)
Petrol, 1 litre
- Press Releases – Ministry of Finance
Electricity, cash power, per kWh (SBS average)
- Notice of Change in Tariff per Unit of Electricity (Order of Cabinet – FK (23) 25)
Water, SWA household, per m³ in the 15–40 m³ step
- Water Accounts Samoa, 2021-22
National exam fee, Years 12–13
- Budget Address 2021/2022
- Budget Address 2021/2022