Moving to Vietnam from Laos
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Laos to Vietnam — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Laos to Vietnam, and you’d need to navigate life in Vietnamese.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Laos to Vietnam, based on official data.
Who's moving to Vietnam?
Top countries of origin for Vietnam's foreign-born residents.
- 12,192
- 11,796
- 8,325
- 8,288
-
5.7,334
Laos
- 3,335
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Laos to Vietnam.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Laos performs better than Vietnam 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
Vietnam 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 Vietnam 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
Vietnam 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 Vietnam 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
Vietnam 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 | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
View all months
| Month | Vientiane | Hanoi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) |
| Feb | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) |
| Mar | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) |
| Apr | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) |
| May | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) |
| Jun | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) |
| Aug | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) |
| Sep | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) |
| Nov | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) |
| Dec | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) |
Data:
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR,
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Laos and Vietnam. To live, work, or study long-term in Vietnam, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Vietnam's immigration authority.
Laos passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Free
Vietnam 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 Vietnam?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Vietnam has 21.7 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 Vietnam safe for expats?
Laos performs better than Vietnam across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Vietnam compared to Laos?
Vietnam generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 8.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Vietnam, compared to 3.3 in Laos. Vietnam scores 68 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Laos: 52).
What's the weather like in Vietnam compared to Laos?
The average high temperature in Hanoi is 82°F, compared to 88°F in Vientiane. Hanoi receives around 64.1 in of rainfall per year, while Vientiane gets 65.4 in.
What language do they speak in Vietnam?
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. In Laos, the official language is Lao.
