Average Salary in Laos 2026
Currency: LAK · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Laos make?
Average Monthly Salary
3,906,000 LAK
( 46,872,000 LAK yearly )
~ 186 USD per month ( 2,232 USD yearly )
LOW
1,176,000 LAK
56 USD
AVERAGE
3,906,000 LAK
186 USD
HIGH
11,718,000 LAK
558 USD
A person working in Laos typically earns around 3,906,000 LAK per month. Salaries range from 1,176,000 LAK (lowest average) to 11,718,000 LAK (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Laos
Median and salary distribution monthly Laos
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (3,507,000 LAK) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (3,906,000 LAK) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)23,436,000 LAK
- 2–5 Years (Junior)30,471,000 LAK
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)39,837,000 LAK
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)46,872,000 LAK
- 15+ Years (Senior)56,238,000 LAK
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School28,119,000 LAK
- Certificate32,802,000 LAK
- Associate37,506,000 LAK
- Bachelor's46,872,000 LAK
- Master's56,238,000 LAK
- PhD65,625,000 LAK
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Laos
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Laos earn 7% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Laos
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
12%
Average Raise
20 months
Review Frequency
9%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Laos are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 20 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Laos is 9%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Laos
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
51%
Received Bonus
49%
No Bonus
51% of surveyed staff in Laos reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
6%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal63,273,000 LAK
- Aviation60,942,000 LAK
- Information Technology60,942,000 LAK
- Banking58,590,000 LAK
- Pharmaceuticals58,590,000 LAK
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 117,180,000 LAK | 9,765,000 LAK |
| Pilot | 93,744,000 LAK | 7,812,000 LAK |
| Software Developer | 84,378,000 LAK | 7,035,000 LAK |
| Data Scientist | 79,674,000 LAK | 6,636,000 LAK |
| Financial Manager | 74,991,000 LAK | 6,258,000 LAK |
| Database Administrator | 70,308,000 LAK | 5,859,000 LAK |
| Engineer | 65,625,000 LAK | 5,460,000 LAK |
| Marketing Manager | 60,942,000 LAK | 5,082,000 LAK |
| Project Manager | 58,590,000 LAK | 4,893,000 LAK |
| Accountant | 51,555,000 LAK | 4,305,000 LAK |
| Hotel Manager | 46,872,000 LAK | 3,906,000 LAK |
| Nurse | 42,189,000 LAK | 3,507,000 LAK |
| Graphic Designer | 39,837,000 LAK | 3,318,000 LAK |
| Chef | 35,154,000 LAK | 2,940,000 LAK |
| Teacher | 32,802,000 LAK | 2,730,000 LAK |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Vientiane | 53,907,000 LAK |
| Luang Prabang | 49,224,000 LAK |
| Savannakhet | 49,224,000 LAK |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
3,717,000 LAK
Private Sector
4,095,000 LAK
Public Sector
+10%
Public sector employees in Laos earn 10% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Laos
21,000 LAK
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Laos is 21,000 LAK. This means that the average person in Laos earns approximately 21,000 LAK for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Laos
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
315,000 LAK
/month
Food
105,000 LAK
/month
Transport
42,000 LAK
/month
Utilities
42,000 LAK
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Laos and explore top-paying jobs.