In short
Vientiane has fewer than a million people and none of the traffic or noise of neighbouring capitals. The gilded Pha That Luang and the Patuxai — a triumphal arch built with American cement meant for a runway — are its landmarks.
The river marks the border with Thailand: from the banks you can see the other side.
What it really costs
Living costs are low but the depreciation of the kip shifts prices from month to month. A budget set in advance ages fast.
The French colonial legacy left bakeries and a mixed cuisine behind. The morning market and street stalls remain the cheapest way to eat.
What nobody tells you
The high-speed railway now links Vientiane to Luang Prabang and the Chinese border in a few hours, against a full day by road before. Tickets go fast and are booked ahead.
The country runs on cash. Cash machines have low ceilings and charge a high fixed commission: withdraw a lot, rarely.
The city is quiet to the point that many travellers find it dull. It is a place to stay and work, not to sightsee intensively.