Moving to Laos from Iowa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iowa to Laos — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iowa to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iowa to Laos.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Laos performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa 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
Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Laos leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa 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 | Des Moines | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°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?
Usually fine from major cities in Laos. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to Iowa?
Laos performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Laos compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In Iowa, the official language is English.
