Moving to South Korea from Laos
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Laos to South Korea — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Laos to South Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°F vs 88°F in Vientiane, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Laos to South Korea, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Laos to South Korea · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to South Korea?
Top countries of origin for South Korea's foreign-born residents.
- 803,011
- 177,274
- 159,264
- 68,050
- 64,942
- 55,601
Key Indicator Comparison
How Laos and South Korea stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 South Korea 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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though Laos leads in water stress level.
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 South Korea 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
South Korea 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 | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Vientiane | Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) |
| Feb | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) |
| May | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) |
| Jul | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) |
| Aug | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) |
| Sep | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) |
| Oct | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) |
| Nov | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) |
| Dec | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR,
Korea Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Laos and South Korea. To live, work, or study long-term in South Korea, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Korea's immigration authority.
Laos passport holder visiting South Korea
Visa Required
South Korea 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 South Korea?
With 45.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Korea 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 South Korea.
Is South Korea safe for expats?
South Korea performs significantly better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Laos?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 3.3 in Laos. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Laos: 52).
What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Laos?
The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 88°F in Vientiane. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Vientiane gets 65.4 in.
What language do they speak in South Korea?
The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Laos, the official language is Lao.
