Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Laos and India

Name: India
Address: IN

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $1,154 in Laos, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

56

Cost of Living Index in Laos
Learn more

Laos Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in India
Learn more

India Living Index

Jump to prices

🇱🇦 Laos

$1,154

/mo nomad

🇮🇳 India

$399

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Laos and in India

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Laos and in India actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,154 in Laos versus $399 in India.

Laos $1,154
India $399

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,755 in Laos versus $639 in India.

Laos $1,755
India $639

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,356 in Laos versus $879 in India.

Laos $2,356
India $879

Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $230 to $813, compared to $1,076–$1,393 in Laos. City choice carries more weight in India.

Living in Laos is roughly 189% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Laos 15% lower, India 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.27 LAK 50.9K

$2.14 ₹203

6.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.46 LAK 391.3K

$10.46 ₹993

66.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 LAK 116.1K

$3.80 ₹361

36.32%

Cappuccino

$1.77 LAK 39.5K

$1.68 ₹159

5.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 LAK 17.1K

$0.38 ₹35.93

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LAK 8,996

$0.15 ₹14.58

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 LAK 28.0K

$1.87 ₹177

-33.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 LAK 39.1K

$3.18 ₹302

-45.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 LAK 44.5K

$0.62 ₹59.1

220.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 LAK 26.0K

$0.50 ₹47.68

132.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 LAK 22.5K

$0.63 ₹60.2

60.32%

Eggs

$1.91 LAK 42.9K

$0.96 ₹91.1

98.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.05 LAK 516.4K

$4.85 ₹460

375.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 LAK 141.3K

$2.84 ₹270

122.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 LAK 149.3K

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 LAK 39.1K

$2.00 ₹190

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 LAK 25.8K

$0.65 ₹61.3

76.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 LAK 57.2K

$0.97 ₹92.1

162.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 LAK 35.0K

$0.47 ₹44.22

231.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 LAK 33.1K

$0.34 ₹31.82

335.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 LAK 23.5K

$0.42 ₹39.66

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 LAK 24.1K

$0.47 ₹44.32

127.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LAK 11.7K

$0.31 ₹29.62

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 LAK 39.0K

$5.08 ₹482

-65.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 LAK 227.6K

$7.31 ₹694

38.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 LAK 26.0K

$1.63 ₹154

-28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 LAK 38.9K

$2.76 ₹262

-36.96%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.11 ₹485

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 LAK 11.0K

$0.26 ₹24.81

88.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 LAK 1.3M

$8.58 ₹815

580.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 LAK 26.9K

$1.00 ₹94.5

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 LAK 21.9K

$0.27 ₹25.69

262.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.36 LAK 97.6K

$1.54 ₹146

183.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 LAK 31.6K

$1.07 ₹102

31.78%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.9K LAK 647.6M

$11.2K ₹1.1M

157.72%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.2K LAK 654.6M

$20.1K ₹1.9M

45.71%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$86.5 LAK 1.9M

$37.08 ₹3,521

133.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.89 LAK 445.7K

$3.58 ₹340

455.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.01 LAK 246.7K

$7.15 ₹679

53.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 LAK 1.2M

$15.00 ₹1,424

265.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 LAK 174.2K

$7.17 ₹681

8.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 LAK 75.9K

$3.20 ₹303

5.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$329 LAK 7.4M

$58.8 ₹5,583

459.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K LAK 240.6M

$1,667 ₹158.2K

544.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.99 LAK 1.1M

$23.03 ₹2,187

117.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 LAK 1.4M

$24.17 ₹2,295

152.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 LAK 1.6M

$41.20 ₹3,911

74.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 LAK 1.1M

$29.62 ₹2,812

72.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LAK 17.7M

$146 ₹13.9K

438.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 LAK 11.0M

$96.4 ₹9,149

408.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 LAK 34.1M

$343 ₹32.6K

343.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$937 LAK 21.0M

$234 ₹22.2K

300.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,533 LAK 56.8M

$1,177 ₹111.7K

115.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$900 LAK 20.2M

$633 ₹60.1K

42.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$491 LAK 11.0M

$409 ₹38.8K

20.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.06

8.93

12.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Laos: October 24, 2026

Last update for India: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Laos

$490 42.5%

India

$96 24.1% 80.3% $394

Groceries & Markets

Laos

$244 21.2%

India

$102 25.6% 58.2% $142

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Laos

$117 10.2%

India

$48 12% 59.3% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Laos

$105 9.1%

India

$53 13.3% 49.6% $52

Eating Out

Laos

$69 6%

India

$67 16.7% 4% $2.8

Getting Around

Laos

$66 5.8%

India

$12 3% 82% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Laos

$62 5.3%

India

$21 5.4% 65.3% $40

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $874 in Laos, $120 in India. Capital cities: $642 in Vientiane vs $277 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $234 in Laos, $412 in India. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 628% higher in Laos.

Dining out costs 64% more in Laos.

Public transport is 563% more expensive in Laos.

Salaries are 76% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know

🇱🇦 Laos

🇮🇳 India

🕒 Local time

09:06 9:06 AM

07:36 7:36 AM

1 h 30 min behind Laos

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,858,160

1,326,093,247

💱 Currency

Lao Kip LAK ₭

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 LAK = 4.46 USD

100,000 LAK = 4 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to LAK – Lao Kip Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇦 Lao Kip (₭)

Lao Kip exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 22,407 LAK (100,000 LAK = 4.46 USD). 1 EUR = 25,019 LAK (100,000 LAK = 4 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

USD to LAK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Laos India 2,840 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Laos
India

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Laos vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $399 per month in India and $1,154 in Laos, India comes out about 65% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $874 in Laos and $120 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

It depends on what you’re after: India wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.