Moving to Laos from Ethiopia

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Ethiopia to Laos? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Ethiopia to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 74°F in Addis Ababa, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Laos compared to Ethiopia.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
LA
16.4

Laos performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ET
$86
LA
$123
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
LA
3.3

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ET
46.0
LA
69.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
LA
3.4t

Ethiopia performs better than Laos across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ET
0.5
LA
2.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
LA
4.8%

Laos performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ET
3.5%
LA
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
LA
$8,400

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ET
68.2 yrs
LA
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
LA
37.8

Ethiopia generally does better on family life, though Laos leads in literacy rate.

Data: Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Addis Ababa Rain: 45.9 in/yr (1165 mm)
74° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa Vientiane
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 87°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 91°/76°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 85°/67°F (30°/20°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa Vientiane
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), 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 Ethiopia 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.

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting Laos

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

Laos passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

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?

Connectivity is usually fine (Laos: 2.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Laos offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Laos safe for expats?

Laos performs significantly better than Ethiopia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Laos compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 1.1 in Ethiopia. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

What's the weather like in Laos compared to Ethiopia?

The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in Laos?

The official language in Laos is Lao. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET LA
Population 113,656,596 7,749,595
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Laotian Kip (LAK)
Languages Amharic Lao
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +251 +856
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 191