Moving to Laos from Norway
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Norway to Laos — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Norway to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Norway to Laos.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Norway 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 Norway 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
Norway 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
Norway 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
Norway 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
Norway performs better than Laos across all family life metrics.
Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, 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 | Oslo | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Oslo | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
Norwegian Meteorological Institute,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.
Norway passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holder visiting Norway
Visa RequiredData: 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?
Norway performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to Norway?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to Norway?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.
