Moving to Malaysia from Laos
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Laos to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Laos to Malaysia, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Laos to Malaysia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia performs significantly 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 Malaysia 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
Laos generally does better on environment, though Malaysia leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Malaysia performs significantly 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
Laos generally does better on employment & economy, though Malaysia leads in gdp per capita.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Malaysia 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Vientiane | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Vientiane | Kuala Lumpur |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) |
| Feb | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) |
| Mar | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) |
| Apr | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) |
| May | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) |
| Jul | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) |
| Sep | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Nov | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) |
| Dec | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) |
Data:
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR,
Malaysian Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Laos and Malaysia. To live, work, or study long-term in Malaysia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malaysia's immigration authority.
Laos passport holder visiting Malaysia
Visa Free
Malaysia passport holder visiting Laos
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Malaysia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Malaysia has 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Malaysia safe for expats?
Malaysia performs significantly better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Laos?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 3.3 in Laos. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Laos: 52).
What's the weather like in Malaysia compared to Laos?
The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 88°F in Vientiane. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Vientiane gets 65.4 in.
What language do they speak in Malaysia?
The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Laos, the official language is Lao.
