Moving to Indonesia from Laos

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Laos to Indonesia, and you’d need to navigate life in Indonesian. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Laos and Indonesia 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

LA
16.4
ID
11.3

Indonesia performs significantly better than Laos across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LA
$123
ID
$417
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LA
3.3
ID
6.9

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LA
69.0
ID
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LA
3.4t
ID
2.9t

Indonesia performs significantly 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

LA
2.4
ID
4.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LA
4.8%
ID
29.7%

Indonesia generally does better on infrastructure, though Laos leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LA
1.2%
ID
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LA
$8,400
ID
$14,100

Laos generally does better on employment & economy, though Indonesia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LA
68.2 yrs
ID
73.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LA
37.8
ID
19.7

Indonesia performs significantly better than Laos across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Jakarta Rain: 65.2 in/yr (1655 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Vientiane Jakarta
Jan–Mar 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) 87°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) 90°/77°F (32°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) 90°/77°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) 90°/77°F (32°/25°C)
View all months
Month Vientiane Jakarta
Jan 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C)
Feb 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C)
Mar 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C)
Apr 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C)
May 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C)
Jul 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C)
Aug 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C)
Sep 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C)
Oct 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C)
Nov 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C)
Dec 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C)

Data: Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR, Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Laos passport

Laos passport holder visiting Indonesia

Visa Free
Laos passport holders can enter Indonesia without a visa.
Indonesia passport

Indonesia passport holder visiting Laos

Visa Free
Indonesia passport holders can enter Laos without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Indonesia?

With 4.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Indonesia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Laos and Indonesia.

Is Indonesia safe for expats?

Indonesia performs significantly better than Laos across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Indonesia compared to Laos?

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 6.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Indonesia, compared to 3.3 in Laos. Indonesia scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Laos: 52).

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

The average high temperature in Jakarta is 89°F, compared to 88°F in Vientiane. Jakarta receives around 65.2 in of rainfall per year, while Vientiane gets 65.4 in.

What language do they speak in Indonesia?

The official language in Indonesia is Indonesian. In Laos, the official language is Lao.

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At a Glance

LA ID
Population 7,749,595 277,329,163
Currency Laotian Kip (LAK) Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Languages Lao Indonesian
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +856 +62
Time zones 1 3
Emergency number 191 112