Moving to Laos from Rwanda

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Rwanda to Laos — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Rwanda to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Rwanda to Laos.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RW
11.6
LA
16.4

Rwanda performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RW
$177
LA
$123
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RW
1.2
LA
3.3

Laos performs significantly better than Rwanda across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RW
62.0
LA
69.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RW
0.2t
LA
3.4t

Rwanda 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

RW
0.3
LA
2.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RW
20.2%
LA
4.8%

Laos performs significantly better than Rwanda across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RW
14.9%
LA
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RW
$3,000
LA
$8,400

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RW
65.8 yrs
LA
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RW
26.4
LA
37.8

Rwanda generally does better on family life, though Laos leads in life expectancy.

Data: Rwanda Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kigali Vientiane
Jan–Mar 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 87°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 91°/76°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 85°/67°F (30°/20°C)
View all months
Month Kigali Vientiane
Jan 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C)
Feb 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C)
Mar 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C)
Apr 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C)
Jul 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C)
Aug 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C)
Sep 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C)
Oct 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Dec 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C)

Data: Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency, 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 Rwanda 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.

Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Laos

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

Laos passport holder visiting Rwanda

Visa Free
Laos passport holders can enter Rwanda without a 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?

Rwanda performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Laos compared to Rwanda?

Laos performs significantly better than Rwanda across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 1.2 in Rwanda. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Rwanda: 49).

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

The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 80°F in Kigali. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kigali gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Laos?

The official language in Laos is Lao. In Rwanda, the official languages are English, French and Kinyarwanda.

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At a Glance

RW LA
Population 13,173,730 7,749,595
Currency Rwandan Franc (RWF) Laotian Kip (LAK)
Languages English, French, Kinyarwanda Lao
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +250 +856
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 191