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Laos Cost of Living 2026
๐ฑ๐ฆ 3 cities in Laos, sorted by daily travel budget. Not the exchange rate โ how cheap it feels on your own income, and where a price becomes a rip-off. Updated October 2026
Cities in Laos compared
| City | Per day | Per month | Local meal | Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ VientianeMid-size city | $60.9 | $1,561 | โญ60,000 | โญ40,000 |
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Luang PrabangTourist ยท small town | $61.2 | $1,188 | โญ50,000 | โญ40,000 |
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Vang ViengTourist ยท small town | $63.8 | $1,303 | โญ40,000 | โญ30,000 |
Per day = one mid-range night + three meals, a coffee and two taxi rides. Open a city for item-by-item prices, rip-off thresholds and live traveler reports.
Everyday prices in Laos
| City | Beer | 5 km taxi | Hotel night | Massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Vientiane | โญ30,000 | โญ60,000 | โญ700,000 | โญ100,000 |
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Luang Prabang | โญ33,000 | โญ60,000 | โญ770,000 | โญ120,000 |
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Vang Vieng | โญ25,000 | โญ70,000 | โญ900,000 | โญ100,000 |
Laos vs nearby countries
| Country | Per day | Per month | vs Laos |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ป๐ณ Vietnam | $56.7 | $997 | -9% |
| ๐ฒ๐ฒ Myanmar | $58.1 | $561 | -6% |
| ๐ณ๐ต Nepal | $61.5 | $742 | -1% |
| ๐ฑ๐ฆ Laos | $62 | $1,351 | this country |
| ๐ฎ๐ณ India | $62.4 | $864 | +1% |
| ๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan | $65.1 | $727 | +5% |
| ๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia | $65.4 | $1,097 | +6% |
| ๐ง๐ฉ Bangladesh | $66.7 | $795 | +8% |
Countries in the same region with a similar daily travel budget. Tap a country for its city-by-city prices.
Vientiane vs New York: item by item
| Item | Vientiane | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local meal | โญ60,000โ $2.73 | $20 | -86% |
| Coffee | โญ40,000โ $1.82 | $6 | -70% |
| Beer | โญ30,000โ $1.36 | $9 | -85% |
| 5 km taxi | โญ60,000โ $2.73 | $23 | -88% |
| Hotel night | โญ700,000โ $31.8 | $270 | -88% |
| 1-bed rent | โญ11,000,000โ $500 | $3,300 | -85% |
Same purchase in both cities, converted to US dollars. Daily travel budget: Vientiane $60.9 vs New York $467 โ about 87% cheaper.
Compare Laos with other cities
Money tips for Laos
Paying
Mostly cash (kip). Cards only at hotels and some restaurants.
Tipping
Not expected; leaving change is enough.
Menu prices
Menu prices are usually final.
Getting around
Agree tuk-tuk and songthaew fares first; ride-hailing is limited.
Haggling
Haggle at night markets and with tuk-tuks, though margins are smaller than next door.
Water
Don't drink tap water.
Common rip-offs
Tuk-tuk fares quoted to tourists at several times the local rate.
Laos travel difficulty
| City | Overall | Rip-offs | Language | Transport | Payments | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luang Prabang | Hard 3.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Vientiane | Hard 3.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Vang Vieng | Hard 3.2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, 1โ5 (closer to 1 is easier). Tap a city for reasons and tips. Full difficulty ranking โบ
City guides
FAQ
How much is a daily travel budget in Laos?
With a mid-range room, between $60.9 and $63.8 a day depending on the city โ about $62 on average. Hostels and local eateries cut that by 30% or more.
How much does a month in Laos cost?
Short-term rental plus living costs runs $1,561โ$1,561 by city, about $1,351 on average.
Which city in Laos is cheapest?
By daily budget, Vientiane ($60.9/day) is the cheapest and Vang Vieng ($63.8/day) the most expensive.
Which nearby country is cheaper than Laos?
Among countries in the same region with similar budgets, Vietnam runs about $56.7 a day โ 9% less than Laos (about $62).
Is Laos cheaper than New York?
In Vientiane, a traveler's day runs about $60.9 versus $467 in New York โ roughly 87% cheaper. The gap differs by item, so meals, coffee, taxis and hotels are listed separately above.