Moving to Laos from California
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from California to Laos — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from California to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How California and Laos stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Laos performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Laos across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Laos leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Laos across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Laos?
Working remotely from Laos's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and Laos.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to California?
Laos performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Laos compared to California?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In California, the official language is English.
