Moving to Laos from Sri Lanka
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Sri Lanka to Laos — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka to Laos.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Sri Lanka 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
Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Sri Lanka performs better than Laos across all environment metrics.
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
Sri Lanka 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
Sri Lanka 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
Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Laos leads in education spending.
Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Colombo | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Colombo | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
National Meteorological Centre,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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.
Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holder visiting Sri Lanka
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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?
Sri Lanka performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Laos leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to Sri Lanka?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.
