Moving to Laos from Madagascar

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Madagascar to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 76°F in Antananarivo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Madagascar 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

MG
22.5
LA
16.4

Laos performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MG
$63
LA
$123
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MG
1.8
LA
3.3

Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Madagascar 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MG
0.1t
LA
3.4t

Madagascar performs 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

MG
0.1
LA
2.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MG
11.3%
LA
4.8%

Laos performs significantly better than Madagascar across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MG
3.1%
LA
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MG
$1,700
LA
$8,400

Laos generally does better on employment & economy, though Madagascar leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MG
68.2 yrs
LA
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MG
39.0
LA
37.8

Madagascar generally does better on family life, though Laos leads in infant mortality.

Data: General Direction of Taxes, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Antananarivo Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1198 mm)
76° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Antananarivo Vientiane
Jan–Mar 79°/63°F (26°/17°C) 87°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 91°/76°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 85°/67°F (30°/20°C)
View all months
Month Antananarivo Vientiane
Jan 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C) 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C)
Feb 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C)
Mar 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C) 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C)
Apr 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C)
May 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C) 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C) 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C)
Jul 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C)
Aug 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C) 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C)
Sep 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C)
Oct 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Nov 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Dec 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C) 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C)

Data: Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie, 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 Madagascar 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.

Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Laos

Visa on Arrival
Madagascar passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Laos.
Laos passport

Laos passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Madagascar.

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 Madagascar and Laos.

Is Laos safe for expats?

Laos performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Laos compared to Madagascar?

Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Madagascar leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 1.8 in Madagascar. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Madagascar: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 76°F in Antananarivo. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Antananarivo gets 47.2 in.

What language do they speak in Laos?

The official language in Laos is Lao. In Madagascar, the official languages are French and Malagasy.

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At a Glance

MG LA
Population 28,172,462 7,749,595
Currency Malagasy Ariary (MGA) Laotian Kip (LAK)
Languages French, Malagasy Lao
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +261 +856
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 191