Country Money

The currency of Laos is the Kip. The Kip is not freely convertable, which means that you can't get it outside of Laos, and any you leave with can't be exchanged.

The Kip is not very stable, but fluctuates widely around the 10,000 Kip per US$1 mark. For the purposes of this guide, we've shown approximate rates using this figure.

Kip notes come in 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 denominations. There are no coins. With the largest note just 10,000 Kip, if you change just US$50 you're going to end up with a huge wad of bills. The good news is that you don't really need much cash in Kip. Many larger purchases may be made with US Dollars or Thai Baht. You just need Kip for small purchases like entrance fees, taxis and meals.

Currency Exchange
Thai Baht and US Dollars are the easiest currencies to exchange. They are also widely accepted in shops, markets and hotels in Vientiane and Luang Prabang.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
Major credit cards are accepted in the more upmarket hotels and restaurants only in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. ATMs are slowly being introduced, particularly in Vientiane, but do not rely on them.
Traveller's Cheques
Limited acceptance and often with a hefty commission charge. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars or Thai Baht.

Laos 1 Kip

Laos 5 Kip

Laos 10 Kip

Laos 20 Kip

Laos 50 Kip

Laos 100 Kip

Laos 200 Kip

Laos 500 Kip

Laos 1000 Kip

How Much Money Do I Need In Laos?

Laos Accommodation Prices: decent fan rooms with cold-water bath or shared bath can be found for 5 USD down to 3.50 USD in truly remote places. For A/C, hot water, look to spend about 6 to 10 USD, which is the base price in the tourist centers.
Internet Cafe Costs in Laos: starting at 6,000 kip per hour (70 cents) up to 12,000 kip per hour in more remote places.

Laos Trains, Planes And Buses: Regular buses start cheap at about 5,000 kip for every hour on the road, (prices often work out to about 200 kip per kilometer). The VIP bus costs 110,000 kip and takes only 10 hours.

Airfares: Bangkok to Vientiane is currently about 179 to 211 USD. Hanoi to Vientiane, 169 USD, Saigon to Vientiane 129 USD.

Laos Food Costs: big pizzas going for as little as 3 or 4 USD. 5 bucks is enough for a good lunch with beer.
ATMs in Laos The Laos kip is a closed currency, so it is very difficutl to find an ATM.

Laos Visa Costs

: A one-month, single-entry visa is now standard and costs about 35 USD, but varies a bit depending on nationality.

Flying with Lao Airlines

costs from US$40 to US$100 per leg. Most bus trips cost between US$2 and US$.All these costs are paid in a mix of US dollars, Thai baht and Lao kip. Credit cards and other bank cards aren’t widely accepted, so pack cash and travellers cheques.