Moving to Laos from Malawi
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Malawi to Laos — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Malawi 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 75°F in Lilongwe, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malawi to Laos.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Laos performs significantly better than Malawi 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 Malawi leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malawi performs better than Laos across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Laos performs significantly better than Malawi 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 performs significantly better than Malawi across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Malawi generally does better on family life, though Laos leads in literacy rate.
Data: Malawi Revenue Authority, 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 | Lilongwe | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lilongwe | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi 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.
Malawi passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Online (e-Visa)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?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Laos has 2.4 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 Laos safe for expats?
Laos performs significantly better than Malawi across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to Malawi?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in suicide rate. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 0.5 in Malawi. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to Malawi?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.
