Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Taiwan instead of Laos, you would:

Health

live 11.9 years longer

In Laos, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In Taiwan, that number is 81 years (78 years for men, 84 years for women) as of 2022.

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Life

be 85.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Laos, approximately 27.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Taiwan, on the other hand, 4.0 children do as of 2022.

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have 65.1% fewer children

In Laos, there are approximately 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Taiwan, there are 7.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 37.2% more likely to have internet access

In Laos, approximately 65.6% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Taiwan, about 90.0% do as of 2021.

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Sources: World Bank (2024), The World Factbook (2021–2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Laos vs. Taiwan

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Taiwan is 3.0% cheaper than Laos overall
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Size Comparison · See true size
Laos is about 7 times bigger than Taiwan.
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Moving from Laos to Taiwan · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Taiwan: At a glance

Taiwan is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 32,260 sq km. In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist control after World War II. Following the communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Beginning in the 1950s, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. This process expanded rapidly in the 1980s. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist (Kuomintang or KMT) to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic priorities for economic reform and growth.
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How big is Taiwan compared to Laos? See an in-depth size comparison.

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