Moving to Laos from Sierra Leone

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Sierra Leone to Laos? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

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

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Laos compared to Sierra Leone.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SL
13.8
LA
16.4

Sierra Leone 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

SL
$159
LA
$123
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SL
0.4
LA
3.3

Laos performs significantly better than Sierra Leone 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

SL
97.0
LA
69.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SL
0.2t
LA
3.4t

Sierra Leone generally does better on environment, though Laos leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SL
0.0
LA
2.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SL
0.5%
LA
4.8%

Laos generally does better on infrastructure, though Sierra Leone leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SL
3.2%
LA
1.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SL
$1,700
LA
$8,400

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SL
58.8 yrs
LA
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SL
73.4
LA
37.8

Laos generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone leads in education spending.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Freetown Rain: 116.0 in/yr (2946 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Freetown Vientiane
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 87°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/76°F (31°/24°C) 91°/76°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) 88°/76°F (31°/24°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/75°F (30°/24°C) 85°/67°F (30°/20°C)
View all months
Month Freetown Vientiane
Jan 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C) 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C)
Feb 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C)
Mar 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C)
Apr 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C) 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C)
May 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C) 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C)
Jul 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C) 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C) 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C)
Sep 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C) 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C)
Nov 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Dec 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C) 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C)

Data: Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Sierra Leone Meteorological 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 Sierra Leone 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.

Sierra Leone passport

Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Laos

Visa Required
Sierra Leone passport holders need a visa to enter Laos.
Laos passport

Laos passport holder visiting Sierra Leone

Visa Required
Laos passport holders need a visa to enter Sierra Leone.

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?

Connectivity is usually fine (Laos: 2.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Laos offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Laos safe for expats?

Sierra Leone performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Laos compared to Sierra Leone?

Laos performs significantly better than Sierra Leone across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 0.4 in Sierra Leone. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sierra Leone: 41).

What's the weather like in Laos compared to Sierra Leone?

The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 86°F in Freetown. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Freetown gets 116.0 in.

What language do they speak in Laos?

The official language in Laos is Lao. In Sierra Leone, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

SL LA
Population 8,692,606 7,749,595
Currency Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL) Laotian Kip (LAK)
Languages English Lao
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +232 +856
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 191