Moving to Laos from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Laos? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Laos compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Iceland generally does better on environment, though Laos leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Iceland 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Laos leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Iceland performs better than Laos across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate of Internal Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Reykjavik | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.
Iceland passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holder visiting Iceland
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?
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?
Iceland performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to Iceland?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 45.2 in Iceland. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
