Moving to Laos from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Laos? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa 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 71°F in Johannesburg, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Laos compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Laos performs significantly better than South Africa 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 South Africa 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
South Africa 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
South Africa generally does better on infrastructure, though Laos leads in water stress level.
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though South Africa leads in gdp per capita.
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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Laos leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Ministry of Finance (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Laos vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Can you move from South Africa to Laos?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holder visiting South Africa
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?
Connectivity is usually fine (Laos: 2.7 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?
Laos performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to South Africa?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Laos
At a Glance
ZA
|
LA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 7,873,046 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Laotian Kip (LAK) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Lao |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +856 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 191 |