Moving to Laos from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Laos — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Laos, and you’d need to navigate life in Lao. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Vientiane averages 88°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Laos stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
United States 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
Laos generally does better on employment & economy, though United States 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
United States performs better than Laos across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Vientiane |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Laos
Visa on Arrival
Laos passport holder visiting United States
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?
With 2.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Laos can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Laos.
Is Laos safe for expats?
United States performs better than Laos across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Laos compared to United States?
United States 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 36.1 in United States. Laos scores 52 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Laos compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Vientiane is 88°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Vientiane receives around 65.4 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Laos?
The official language in Laos is Lao. In United States, the official language is English.
