Laos is a great country to live. The location and the condition of the house are other factors that determine the cost to rent.

You can find some houses in Laos online at:
https://www.dotproperty.la/houses-for-rent

The ads don't have a date but if the listing is still up then I would assume the house is still available for rent.

Yes unfortunately it looks like they are focusing on rent in the Vientiane region.

Yes the locals may know someone offering rent in the town you want to stay, and Tuk Tuk/Jumbo drivers in particular because they are always driving around town and sometimes rental homes and properties advertised in the area may catch their eyes.

Apartment, guesthouse and hotel owners may have contacts for you too.

Renting an apartment instead of a house is an option because apartments have all the things you need such as kitchen, washing machine and living room, but there may not be any in a small town.

Guesthouses are plentiful around Laos but you will always need to buy food.

I love rural areas so I understand your desire to move to such a district. At one point I was even thinking of buying land in Koh Samui but later I got married and this wish disappeared from my head for a long time.