Moving to Laos from Burkina Faso

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Burkina Faso to Laos — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Burkina Faso to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Burkina Faso and Laos stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BF
27.8
LA
16.4

Laos performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BF
$224
LA
$123
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BF
1.5
LA
3.3

Laos performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BF
84.0
LA
69.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BF
0.3t
LA
3.4t

Burkina Faso generally does better on environment, though Laos leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BF
0.1
LA
2.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BF
7.8%
LA
4.8%

Laos performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BF
5.3%
LA
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BF
$2,500
LA
$8,400

Laos performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BF
63.4 yrs
LA
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BF
49.4
LA
37.8

Laos generally does better on family life, though Burkina Faso leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ouagadougou Rain: 29.3 in/yr (744 mm)
95° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Vientiane Rain: 65.4 in/yr (1660 mm)
88° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ouagadougou Vientiane
Jan–Mar 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) 87°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) 91°/76°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) 85°/67°F (30°/20°C)
View all months
Month Ouagadougou Vientiane
Jan 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C)
Feb 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C)
Mar 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C)
Apr 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C)
May 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C)
Jun 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C)
Jul 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C)
Aug 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C)
Sep 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C)
Oct 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Nov 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Dec 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C)

Data: Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso, Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burkina Faso and Laos. To live, work, or study long-term in Laos, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Laos's immigration authority.

Burkina Faso passport

Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Laos

Visa on Arrival
Burkina Faso passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Laos.
Laos passport

Laos passport holder visiting Burkina Faso

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Laos passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Burkina Faso.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Laos?

With 2.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Laos can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Burkina Faso and Laos.

Is Laos safe for expats?

Laos performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Laos compared to Burkina Faso?

Laos performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 1.5 in Burkina Faso. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burkina Faso: 40).

What's the weather like in Laos compared to Burkina Faso?

The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 95°F in Ouagadougou. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Ouagadougou gets 29.3 in.

What language do they speak in Laos?

The official language in Laos is Lao. In Burkina Faso, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

BF LA
Population 21,935,389 7,749,595
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Laotian Kip (LAK)
Languages French Lao
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +226 +856
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 191