Moving to Laos from Lesotho

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Lesotho to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 74°F in Maseru, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Lesotho and Laos 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

LS
21.6
LA
16.4

Laos performs significantly better than Lesotho across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LS
$386
LA
$123
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LS
1.5
LA
3.3

Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LS
100.0
LA
69.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LS
0.4t
LA
3.4t

Lesotho generally does better on environment, though Laos leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LS
0.4
LA
2.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LS
2.6%
LA
4.8%

Lesotho generally does better on infrastructure, though Laos leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LS
16.5%
LA
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LS
$2,500
LA
$8,400

Laos performs significantly better than Lesotho across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LS
59.6 yrs
LA
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LS
48.4
LA
37.8

Laos generally does better on family life, though Lesotho leads in education spending.

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.

Maseru Rain: 25.3 in/yr (642 mm)
74° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Maseru Vientiane
Jan–Mar 81°/57°F (27°/14°C) 87°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 67°/39°F (20°/4°C) 91°/76°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/37°F (20°/3°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) 85°/67°F (30°/20°C)
View all months
Month Maseru Vientiane
Jan 84°/59°F (28.7°/14.8°C) 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C)
Feb 82°/58°F (27.6°/14.6°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C)
Mar 78°/54°F (25.7°/12.5°C) 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C)
Apr 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C)
May 67°/39°F (19.7°/3.7°C) 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C)
Jun 62°/32°F (16.7°/0.2°C) 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C)
Jul 62°/31°F (16.9°/-0.5°C) 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C)
Aug 67°/36°F (19.7°/2.4°C) 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C)
Sep 74°/44°F (23.3°/6.9°C) 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C)
Oct 77°/50°F (24.8°/10.1°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Nov 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.9°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Dec 82°/56°F (27.9°/13.4°C) 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C)

Data: Lesotho Meteorological Services Lesotho Meteorological Services, Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Lesotho 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.

Lesotho passport

Lesotho passport holder visiting Laos

Visa Required
Lesotho passport holders need a visa to enter Laos.
Laos passport

Laos passport holder visiting Lesotho

Visa Required
Laos passport holders need a visa to enter Lesotho.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Laos?

With 2.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Laos can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Lesotho and Laos.

Is Laos safe for expats?

Laos performs significantly better than Lesotho across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Laos compared to Lesotho?

Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho leads in health coverage index. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 1.5 in Lesotho. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Lesotho: 53).

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

The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 74°F in Maseru. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Maseru gets 25.3 in.

What language do they speak in Laos?

The official language in Laos is Lao. In Lesotho, the official languages are English and Sotho.

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At a Glance

LS LA
Population 2,193,970 7,749,595
Currency Lesotho Loti (LSL) Laotian Kip (LAK)
Languages English, Sotho Lao
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +266 +856
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 191