Laos is Southeast Asia's hidden gem, offering ancient Buddhist temples, pristine waterfalls, and serene riverside towns. From the UNESCO-listed streets of Luang Prabang to the adventure hub of Vang Vieng and the mysterious Plain of Jars, Laos rewards travelers seeking authenticity and natural beauty.
Local currency: Lao Kip (LAK). USD and Thai Baht are also widely accepted in tourist areas. Current rate approximately 20,000-21,000 LAK per 1 USD..
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Laos.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $8-15 dorm bed
- Budget
- $20-40 guesthouse private room
- Midrange
- $50-100 comfortable hotel
- Luxury
- $200-1500+ luxury resort
Food
- Street
- $1-3 noodle soup or sticky rice with toppings
- Local
- $5-8 sit-down local restaurant meal
- Midrange
- $12-25 tourist restaurant
- Fine
- $30-80+ fine dining
Transport
- Bus
- $0.25 local songthaew or city bus
- Tuk Tuk
- $2-5 tuk-tuk within city
- Airport
- $7-8 airport taxi to Luang Prabang or Vientiane
- Daytrip
- $15-25 shared tuk-tuk to Kuang Si Falls
Activities
- Temple
- $0.50-3 temple entry fees
- Sites
- $5-10 major attractions
- Tour
- $20-50 guided half-day tour
- Excursion
- $60-150 multi-day trekking or adventure
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Laos costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$175-245/week (dormitories, street food, local transport, free activities)
Midrange traveller
$350-700/week (guesthouse private room, local and tourist restaurants, guided tours)
Luxury traveller
$1050-3000+/week (luxury resort, fine dining, private transport, premium experiences)
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Eat where locals eat — morning market stalls, noodle shops, and evening street carts cost $1-3 per meal vs $8-15 at tourist restaurants
Travel by local bus or shared songthaew instead of private tuk-tuks — routes connecting major towns cost a fraction of private transport
Book accommodation directly at guesthouses on arrival rather than online platforms — owners often discount by 20-30% for direct bookings
Use the Lao Red Cross massage centres for traditional massage at $8-10/hour vs $40-80 at hotel spas
Take the overnight VIP bus Vientiane to Luang Prabang ($15) instead of flying ($60-100) — saves money and overnight accommodation costs
Buy a local SIM card immediately — Unitel or Lao Telecom data SIMs from $5 for 10GB beat hotel WiFi charges
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Morning Alms Giving (Tak Bat)
Watch Buddhist monks walk in silent procession at dawn collecting sticky rice offerings from devotees — a deeply moving free spectacle on Sisavangvong Road in Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang Night Market Browse
Stroll the famous night market along Sisavangvong Road lined with textiles, lanterns, and artwork — free to browse and highly enjoyable even without buying.
Pha That Luang Outer Grounds
Walk the grounds around Laos' holiest monument from the exterior — the golden stupa gleams magnificently with no entry fee needed for the outer areas.
COPE Visitor Centre Vientiane
Donation-based centre documenting the devastating legacy of UXO from the Secret War bombing campaign — one of the most thought-provoking free experiences in Laos.
Vientiane Riverside Walk
Stroll the Mekong riverside promenade in Vientiane from Fa Ngum Road toward Xang Temple — watching Thai river life across the water with food cart snacks from local vendors.
Wat Phu Si Temple, Luang Prabang (exterior)
The many temples in Luang Prabang old town can be viewed from outside at no cost — wander the UNESCO district at dusk for beautiful light on ancient temple walls.
Mount Phousi Sunrise
Arrive at dawn to climb Mount Phousi before the admission fee collectors arrive (they start at 8am) — sunrise views are spectacular and the monks chanting below are magical.
Buddha Park Exterior Viewing
Many of the eccentric outdoor Buddha Park statues are visible from outside the fence — observe the giant reclining Buddha from the perimeter for free.
Cycling Along the Mekong
Rent a bicycle ($2-3/day) and cycle the riverside roads — free to cycle, small rental fee. Luang Prabang and Vientiane both have pleasant riverside cycling paths.
Luang Prabang Morning Market People-Watching
Watch the authentic local morning market at Talat Dara — ethnic minority vendors in traditional clothing, live animals, exotic herbs — purely free to walk through and observe.