🇱🇦 Southeast Asia
Vientiane, Laos
Southeast Asia ≈ Partly estimated See Laos country profile →
Sleepy Mekong capital. Thin sample (11 contributors) — monthly budgets unavailable
Climate
Rainfall, humidity, and the best months to visit: see the full Vientiane climate profile →
Internet speeds
Measured medians from 19,439 real speedtests within 10 km of the city center (Q1 2026) — not advertised ISP numbers.
| Download | Upload | Latency | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed broadband | 70.7 Mbps | 62 Mbps | 5 ms | 14,081 |
| Mobile | 52.8 Mbps | 19.7 Mbps | 23 ms | 5,358 |
Speedtest® by Ookla Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance Maps, © Ookla. Accessed 2026-07-18. Your building's wiring and ISP plan matter more than the city median. Compare all cities in the Internet Speed Explorer →
Cost of living breakdown
USD converted from local prices at baseline rates (1 USD = 21,987.654 LAK, 2026-06-16). Use the Cost of Living Explorer for live exchange rates.
| 💰 Monthly budgets | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Individual (excl. rent) | — | — |
| Individual all-in (excl. rent + 1BR center) | — | — |
| Family of 4 (excl. rent) | — | — |
| Average net salary (after tax) | $273 | LAK 6,000K |
| 🏢 Rent & property | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR city center | $647 | LAK 14,224K |
| 1BR outside center | $419 | LAK 9,213K |
| 3BR city center | $1,097 | LAK 24,129K |
| 3BR outside center | $696 | LAK 15,313K |
| Buy price / sqft — center | $218 | LAK 4,785K |
| Buy price / sqft — outside | $104 | LAK 2,296K |
| 🍽️ Food & dining | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal (1 person) | $2.50 | LAK 55,000 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 people) | $18.19 | LAK 400,000 |
| Fast food combo | $5.46 | LAK 120,000 |
| Beef (per lb) | $3.16 | LAK 69,551 |
| Taxi (per mile) | $1.46 | LAK 32,187 |
| ⚡ Utilities & lifestyle | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities / mo | $92 | LAK 2,024K |
| Phone plan / mo | $33 | LAK 716,765 |
| Internet / mo | $13 | LAK 276,667 |
| Gym membership / mo | $49 | LAK 1,067K |
| Cinema ticket | $4.32 | LAK 95,000 |
| Preschool / mo | $632 | LAK 13,905K |
| International school / yr | $9,941 | LAK 218,580K |
| New car (Corolla equiv.) | $28,531 | LAK 627,338K |
Visa, taxes & legal in Laos
Country-level research that applies to living in Vientiane — each row links to the full comparison dashboard.
| Tourist entry (US passport) | 30-day visa-on-arrival/e-visa (~$40), extendable twice (+60 days) to ~90 |
| Digital nomad visa | No dedicated digital nomad visa — compare all countries → |
| Path to permanent residency | None practical |
| Tax if you become resident | Worldwide system · top rate 25% top — tax breakdown → |
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 5/10 · cross-border collection 3/10 — legal detail → |
Everything about the country in one place: Laos profile for American nomads →
Location
Compare with nearby cities
Data last updated · Source: Numbeo