Moving to Madagascar from Bhutan

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Bhutan to Madagascar — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Bhutan to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Bhutan and Madagascar stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BT
12.2
MG
22.5

Bhutan performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BT
$677
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BT
5.5
MG
1.8

Bhutan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Madagascar leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BT
57.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BT
2.0t
MG
0.1t

Bhutan generally does better on environment, though Madagascar leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BT
0.4
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BT
1.4%
MG
11.3%

Bhutan performs better than Madagascar across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BT
5.7%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BT
$14,000
MG
$1,700

Bhutan generally does better on employment & economy, though Madagascar leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BT
72.3 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BT
27.0
MG
39.0

Bhutan generally does better on family life, though Madagascar leads in literacy rate.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Thimphu Rain: 23.3 in/yr (591 mm)
72° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Antananarivo Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1198 mm)
76° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Thimphu Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 63°/33°F (17°/1°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/53°F (25°/12°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/39°F (20°/4°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Thimphu Antananarivo
Jan 59°/28°F (15.1°/-2.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 62°/33°F (16.7°/0.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 67°/39°F (19.4°/4.0°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 72°/46°F (22.4°/7.8°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 76°/53°F (24.7°/11.5°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 80°/59°F (26.7°/15.2°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.4°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.2°/16.1°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.6°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 74°/48°F (23.4°/9.0°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 67°/38°F (19.7°/3.2°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 62°/31°F (16.5°/-0.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bhutan and Madagascar. To live, work, or study long-term in Madagascar, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Madagascar's immigration authority.

Bhutan passport

Bhutan passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
Bhutan passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Madagascar.
Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Bhutan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Madagascar passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Bhutan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Madagascar?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Madagascar can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Bhutan and Madagascar.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Bhutan performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Bhutan?

Bhutan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Madagascar leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 5.5 in Bhutan. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bhutan: 60).

What's the weather like in Madagascar compared to Bhutan?

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 72°F in Thimphu. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Thimphu gets 23.3 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Bhutan, the official language is Dzongkha.

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At a Glance

BT MG
Population 867,775 28,172,462
Currency Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Dzongkha French, Malagasy
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +975 +261
Time zones 1 1