The Cost of Car Rental in Samoa
Can you afford to rent a car in Samoa? With Samoa’s main island, Upolu, offering a wide range of vehicle rental companies, along with a few others on Savai’i, you’re bound to find something that’s convenient. Not only that but from compact economy cars to premium utes, there’s something for every travel style and budget. See how much it costs to rent a car in Samoa in the guide below.
For more car rental talk, take a look at What You Need to Hire a Car in Samoa.
3 Tips for Making Your Car Rental Budget for Samoa
Before we get started on the cost of car rental in Samoa, here are a few quick tips and things to consider when making your car rental budget.
- Daily rental rates are often lower if hiring for 7+ days
- Having your car delivered to Faleolo International Airport costs about the same as an airport transfer; some rental companies even deliver to the airport for free
- Consider whether it is worth paying extra for insurance. Insurance is usually a daily fee or it is usually already included in the daily rate of the car rental. All you are paying for is an “excess reducer”, i.e. having to pay less if the car were to get damaged. You are not paying for a “better” insurance policy, per se.
While you’re here, don’t forget to check out the 10 Ways to Save Money on Car Rental in Samoa for more ways to save on car hire.
© SamoaPocketGuide.comThe Price of Budget Vehicles
Budget cars are a popular category of rental vehicles in Samoa for obvious reasons. Most of the roads that visitors use are well-maintained and journeys are relatively short, making your standard town or touring car suitable.
Cars in a car rental company’s “budget” category are likely to be either compact cars and/or old models. The latter may come with a few minor issues; a window that doesn’t open properly, a faulty radio, etc. Although it’s unlikely that the vehicle will break down, as rental vehicles are usually maintained to a higher standard than personal vehicles, it’s more of a risk with old models. With this in mind, you may want to consider a company that also offers roadside assistance.
The Cost of Hiring a Compact Car
The typical “compact car” in Samoa is a Toyota Ractis, Toyota IST, Toyota Vitz, Nissan March, Toyota Yaris, etc. Daily rates are usually ST$90-$130.
The Cost of Hiring a Scooter
Also in the budget category are scooters. There are a limited number of rental companies that hire scooters for approximately ST$50-$60 per day. See a scooter cost breakdown in our guide to Scooter Hire in Samoa: Where to Rent, Cost & More.
For rental companies that hire vehicles at the cheaper end of the price scale, see The Cheapest Car Rentals in Samoa.
© SamoaPocketGuide.comThe Price of Mid-Range Vehicles and SUVs
SUVs (sports utility vehicles) are by far the most popular category of vehicles for rent in Samoa. With high clearance, these vehicles can tackle just about any road you’re likely to find yourself on in Samoa, as some access roads to attractions such as those to the Alofaaga Blowholes, Coastal Walk and Aganoa Beach, for example, are better suited for these types of vehicles.
Compact SUVs like Toyota Rav4 are usually your most affordable option at the expense of less room, while mid-range SUVs like Hyundais are a better option for groups of 3-5 and families.
The Cost of Hiring a Compact SUV
Typical compact SUV models found in Samoa are Toyota Rav4, Toyota Rush and Kia Sportage. The price is approximately ST$130-$150 per day.
The Cost of Hiring a Mid-Range SUV
Larger SUV models available in Samoa typically consist of Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Creta, Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail, etc. The price is approximately ST$160-$220 per day, with late models usually being the most expensive.
Compare car rental companies hiring SUVs across the islands in the 10 Best Car Rentals in Samoa.
© SamoaPocketGuide.comThe Price of Premium Vehicles
If you want to show off in Samoa, it’s usually done in a pickup truck, also known as a ute. Most come with four-wheel-drive while many also have manual transmission. The set-up is a bit much for where most tourists want to go; perhaps with the exception of the Forest Cafe on a rainy day. Otherwise, these gas-guzzlers are more likely to guzzle your travel budget than prove useful during your trip in Samoa.
That being said, those that need a 4WD know who they are, so be prepared to pay a premium rental rate for pickup trucks/utes in Samoa.
The Cost of Hiring a Pickup Truck/Ute
Typical pickup trucks/utes that you are able to hire in Samoa include Toyota Hilux, Toyota Landcruiser, Ford Ranger, Ford Ranger XLT, etc. Prices are around ST$260-$320 per day.
See which rental companies hire out pickup trucks on the main island in the 10 Best Car Rentals in Apia & Upolu.
© SamoaPocketGuide.comThe Price of Vans and People Movers
If you have a whole tribe to move, people movers and minivans are also available to hire in abundance in Samoa. People movers usually sit 6-8 people, while vans typically sit 10-16.
The Cost of Hiring a People Mover
Typical people-movers are models such as Toyota Voxy, Toyota Noah, Toyota Estima, Nissan Serena, etc. Daily rates are usually around ST$160-$220.
The Cost of Hiring a Minivan
Typical minivans in Samoa are models such as Toyota Hiace. The daily rate for hiring a minivan is around ST$250-$300.
For rental companies that hire vehicles at the cheaper end of the price scale, see The Cheapest Car Rentals in Samoa.
© SamoaPocketGuide.comAdditional Costs of Hiring a Car
Of course, hiring a vehicle doesn’t just include the daily rate. There are other costs to keep in mind, such as the mandatory cost of fuel and the fee for the Temporary Driver’s License. There are also optional extras, such as airport delivery, additional drivers, baby seats and insurance excess reduction.
Note that there will likely be some inclusions in your car rental that are free, such as unlimited kilometres and roadside assistance.
- Petrol/litre – ST$3.30-$4.20
- Diesel/litre – ST$3.60-$4.50
- Temporary Driver’s License/month – ST$21
- Airport delivery – ST$60-$85 (some companies offer this for free under certain conditions)
- Ferry/return – ST$160-$190 (+ ST$25-$50 if booked through car rental company)
- Accommodation delivery/Apia – FREE
- Accommodation delivery/Lefaga – ST$70-$120
- Accommodation delivery/Si’umu – ST$60-$70
- Accommodation delivery/Lalomanu – ST$100-$180
- Additional driver/day – ST$10
- Insurance/day – ST$0-$30
- Baby seat/day – ST$0-$25
- Unlimited kilometres – FREE
- Roadside assistance – FREE (if available)
- Bond (refundable) – ST$300-$500
- Credit card fee – ST$5 per day/3-5% of the payment total.
© SamoaPocketGuide.comHow Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car in Samoa?
So how much does it cost to rent a car in Samoa? In other words, how much should you budget for? Below, we have calculated some approximate prices for renting a car in Samoa across three different durations.
How Much is it to Hire a Car for a Day in Samoa?
Car rental for just one day in Samoa is approximately ST$130-$150 per day.
Additional mandatory costs to take into consideration:
- Purchasing the Temporary Driver’s License – $21
- Fuel tank top-up at the end of your trip – Our experience shows that this roughly comes to ST$25-$35 if travelling approximately 125 km (78 mi), such as a loop on the east side of Upolu.
Total: Combining all the costs above, you can expect to pay ST$180-$210 for your transportation in Samoa for one day in a compact SUV. This does not include any additional services like vehicle delivery outside of Apia, insurance, etc.
How Much is it to Hire a Car for Five in Samoa?
Compact SUV car rental in Samoa is approximately ST$650-$750 for five days (that’s ST$130-$150 per day)
Additional mandatory costs to take into consideration:
- Purchasing the Temporary Driver’s License – $21
- Fuel tank top-up at the end of your trip – Our experience shows that this roughly comes to ST$40-$50 if travelling approximately 300 km (186 mi) around Upolu.
Total: Combining all the costs above, you can expect to pay ST$710-$820 for your transportation in Samoa for 5 days in a compact SUV. This does not include any additional services like vehicle delivery outside of Apia, insurance, etc.
How Much is it to Hire a Car for a Week in Samoa?
Compact SUV car rental in Samoa is approximately ST$780-$900 for seven days (that’s ST$130-$150 per day minus the common “rent 7 get 1 day free/pay for 6 days” deal that most companies offer for a compact SUV rental).
Additional mandatory costs to take into consideration:
- Purchasing the Temporary Driver’s License – $21
- Fuel tank top-up at the end of your trip – Our experience shows that this roughly comes to ST$80-$100 if travelling approximately 400 km (249 mi) around Upolu.
Total: Combining all the costs above, you can expect to pay ST$880-$1,020 for your transportation in Samoa for 7 days in a compact SUV.
Note that you may want to add the ST$160-$190 return ferry to Savai’i to your budget if travelling Savai’i (a loop around both Upolu and Savai’i is approximately 400 km / 249 mi when planning fuel consumption).
More About the Cost of Renting a Car in Samoa
That’s it for our complete cost breakdown of how much it costs to rent a car in Samoa. For more about renting a car, head to the following guides:
- Which is Better, Renting a Car or Using a Taxi in Samoa?
- 10 Best Car Rentals in Samoa: The Top Samoa Car Rental Companies
- What You Need to Hire a Car in Samoa
Finally, plan more of your travel budget using Samoa Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to Samoa Cost?
Sources:
The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across Samoa and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:
- Samoa Tourism Authority (General travel advice - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Tourism Authority Corporate (Tourism news - Updated [2024])
- Land Transport Authority (Tourist driver’s license info - Updated [2024])
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Visa and immigration advice - Updated [2024])
- Ministry of Customs & Revenue (Border restrictions advice - Updated [2024])
- Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries (Biosecurity advice - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Meteorological Division (Weather forecast and warnings - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Bureau of Statistics (Statistics and travel data - Updated [2024])
- SPTO (Pacific tourism advice - Updated [2024])
- Samoa Hotels Association (Tourism trade association - Updated [2024])
- Safe Travel (New Zealand travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2024])
- Smart Traveller (Australia travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2024])
- Travel.State.Gov (U.S. travel advisory for Samoa - Updated [2024])
Our editorial standards: At Samoa Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.
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