CityCost App
Cost of living in 8000+ cities on the go.

Cost of Living in Laos - Updated Prices & Insights

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $600 (excluding rent), and $1,330 including rent.
Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,366 (excluding rent), and $2,542 including rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.27 LAK 49.2K
$1.70 LAK 36.7K
$3.19 LAK 68.9K
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.56 LAK 401.7K
$9.28 LAK 200.7K
$39.44 LAK 853.5K
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 LAK 123.2K
$3.06 LAK 66.3K
$5.70 LAK 123.2K
Cappuccino
$1.66 LAK 36.0K
$1.18 LAK 25.6K
$2.36 LAK 51.0K
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 LAK 14.2K
$0.44 LAK 9,607
$0.90 LAK 19.4K
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 LAK 9,021
$0.27 LAK 5,874
$0.54 LAK 11.7K
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.36 LAK 29.3K
$0.95 LAK 20.5K
$1.90 LAK 41.0K
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 LAK 32.9K
$1.17 LAK 25.3K
$2.67 LAK 57.8K
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 LAK 40.9K
$1.61 LAK 34.9K
$2.76 LAK 59.7K
White Bread (500g)
$0.94 LAK 20.4K
$0.55 LAK 11.9K
$1.64 LAK 35.5K
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.07 LAK 23.1K
$0.81 LAK 17.6K
$2.26 LAK 48.9K
Eggs
$1.87 LAK 40.5K
$0.91 LAK 19.6K
$2.34 LAK 50.6K
Local Cheese (1kg)
$23.55 LAK 509.5K
$12.78 LAK 276.6K
$30.59 LAK 661.9K
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.73 LAK 123.9K
$2.67 LAK 57.8K
$10.08 LAK 218.1K
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.32 LAK 136.8K
$4.53 LAK 98.0K
$7.16 LAK 154.8K
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 LAK 39.0K
$1.01 LAK 21.8K
$2.06 LAK 44.6K
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 LAK 30.4K
$0.71 LAK 15.4K
$2.24 LAK 48.5K
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 LAK 44.7K
$1.36 LAK 29.4K
$2.82 LAK 61.0K
Tomato (1kg)
$2.39 LAK 51.7K
$1.08 LAK 23.4K
$4.45 LAK 96.3K
Potato (1kg)
$1.62 LAK 35.2K
$1.02 LAK 22.0K
$2.64 LAK 57.1K
Onion (1kg)
$1.07 LAK 23.2K
$0.95 LAK 20.5K
$1.18 LAK 25.6K
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 LAK 27.3K
$0.45 LAK 9,724
$1.95 LAK 42.3K
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 LAK 10.5K
$0.29 LAK 6,273
$0.72 LAK 15.7K
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.95 LAK 42.2K
$1.95 LAK 42.2K
$2.26 LAK 49.0K
Wine (Bottle)
$11.19 LAK 242.1K
$9.33 LAK 201.8K
$30.21 LAK 653.8K
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 LAK 24.4K
$0.72 LAK 15.5K
$1.43 LAK 30.9K
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 LAK 24.9K
$0.68 LAK 14.8K
$2.44 LAK 52.7K
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 LAK 12.7K
$0.45 LAK 9,729
$0.91 LAK 19.7K
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.0 LAK 1.3M
$51.3 LAK 1.1M
$71.1 LAK 1.5M
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.56 LAK 33.7K
$1.14 LAK 24.7K
$4.58 LAK 99.1K
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.14 LAK 24.7K
$1.13 LAK 24.5K
$2.26 LAK 49.0K
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.51 LAK 97.6K
$4.51 LAK 97.6K
$4.85 LAK 105.0K
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 LAK 29.1K
$1.17 LAK 25.3K
$1.41 LAK 30.6K
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K LAK 649.8M
$29.1K LAK 628.6M
$31.0K LAK 671.0M
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K LAK 642.7M
$29.6K LAK 640.8M
$35.2K LAK 761.6M
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.8 LAK 1.9M
$55.9 LAK 1.2M
$118 LAK 2.6M
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.05 LAK 433.8K
$2.11 LAK 45.7K
$40.44 LAK 875.0K
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.47 LAK 248.2K
$7.91 LAK 171.1K
$15.34 LAK 332.0K
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.2 LAK 1.3M
$9.81 LAK 212.3K
$83.4 LAK 1.8M
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.93 LAK 171.5K
$4.97 LAK 107.6K
$9.24 LAK 200.0K
Cinema Ticket
$2.46 LAK 53.2K
$2.05 LAK 44.5K
$4.57 LAK 98.9K
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 LAK 6.7M
$98.6 LAK 2.1M
$573 LAK 12.4M
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,311 LAK 201.5M
$4,998 LAK 108.1M
$15.0K LAK 324.4M
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.7 LAK 1.1M
$28.23 LAK 611.0K
$74.1 LAK 1.6M
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$64.6 LAK 1.4M
$61.5 LAK 1.3M
$70.3 LAK 1.5M
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.7 LAK 1.6M
$50.3 LAK 1.1M
$101 LAK 2.2M
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$52.4 LAK 1.1M
$24.54 LAK 531.0K
$56.9 LAK 1.2M
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$833 LAK 18.0M
$491 LAK 10.6M
$1,474 LAK 31.9M
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 LAK 14.2M
$505 LAK 10.9M
$1,415 LAK 30.6M
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 LAK 27.3M
$498 LAK 10.8M
$1,993 LAK 43.1M
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 LAK 24.3M
$756 LAK 16.4M
$3,830 LAK 82.9M
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,649 LAK 57.3M
$2,630 LAK 56.9M
$2,686 LAK 58.1M
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$524 LAK 11.3M
$99.9 LAK 2.2M
$1,121 LAK 24.2M
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$486 LAK 10.5M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
10
10.25

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

Last update: January 19, 2026

By City in Laos
Lowest
Highest
Rank
City
Population
Living Index
Solo costs (no rent) / month
Solo costs (with rent) / month
Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month
Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month
Mobile download speed (Mbps)
Internet download speed (Mbps)
1
-
264.39
50.47
2
53792
79 $726 $1,598 $1,632 $3,249
102.72
48.6
3
120000
$9.57 $9.72 $13.53 $15.38
120.7
45.92
4
120000
212.28
127.83
5
25000
152.48
51.71
6
783000
71 $482 $1,413 $1,473 $3,084
136.05
73.93
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Cost of Living in Laos - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the overall affordability of Laos stack up for travelers, expats, and digital nomads, and who tends to find it good value?
The Cost of Living in Laos tends to feel approachable for many travelers, expats, and digital nomads, especially when you mix budget guesthouses, street food, and occasional longer stays in cities like Vientiane or Luang Prabang. Seasonal shifts influence crowds and pockets of price pressure, with busy periods typically more noticeable near tourist sights. Rural areas remain notably affordable, while you can still access coworking spaces and reliable cafes in urban centers. A practical plan is to test a couple of neighborhoods before committing long term. Tip: compare a short-term stay to gauge value.
What does day-to-day life look like in Laos in terms of housing search, food, transport, and coworking?
Day-to-day life is practical with options. In cities you'll locate a spectrum of housing from short-term guesthouses to longer-term apartments; negotiating monthly terms can help if you stay a while. Food options range from vibrant markets to casual eateries, with fresh produce and inexpensive meals common. Transport leans simple: motorbike rentals, tuk-tuks, and river ferries connect neighborhoods; many areas are walkable. Co-working spaces or coffee shops with reliable Wi-Fi are expanding in key towns. Laos living cost remains favorable for a flexible schedule. Tip: test a neighborhood during both market days and weekends to gauge vibe and noise.
What factors influence quality of life in Laos, and how can you budget to maximize your experience while staying flexible?
Quality of life in Laos hinges on pace, place, and preparation. Build a simple budgeting framework with three buckets: steady costs (rent and utilities), flexible spending (food, transit, coworking), and discretionary fun (tours, weekend trips). Seasonality shapes your choices: dry season activities are abundant, while the wet season brings quieter streets and different hours for services. To find a good neighborhood fit, map out markets, hospitals, and reliable wifi spots, then test both riverside and city-center pockets for noise and community. Tip: look for longer-term leases with inclusive utilities to stabilize monthly costs.

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