Moving to Laos from Thailand
What to Expect
Considering a move from Thailand to Laos? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Thailand 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Thailand to Laos.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Laos compared to Thailand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Laos performs significantly better than Thailand 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 Thailand 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
Thailand 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
Thailand 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
Thailand generally does better on employment & economy, though Laos leads in top income tax 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
Thailand performs better than Laos across all family life metrics.
Data: The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand, 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 | Bangkok | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bangkok | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
Thai Meteorological Department,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand 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.
Thailand passport holder visiting Laos
Visa Free
Laos passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa FreeData: 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?
Laos performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to Thailand?
Laos generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Laos, compared to 9.3 in Thailand. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to Thailand?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.
