Moving to Laos from Malaysia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Malaysia to Laos — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Malaysia to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malaysia to Laos.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Malaysia performs 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
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malaysia generally does better on environment, though Laos leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Malaysia performs better than Laos 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
Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Laos leads in unemployment rate.
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
Malaysia performs better than Laos across all family life metrics.
Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, 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 | Kuala Lumpur | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuala Lumpur | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
Malaysian Meteorological Department,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia 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.
Malaysia passport holder visiting Laos
Visa Free
Laos passport holder visiting Malaysia
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 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?
Malaysia performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to Malaysia?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to Malaysia?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay.
