Moving to Madagascar from Botswana

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Botswana to Madagascar? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Botswana 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

The numbers behind daily life in Madagascar compared to Botswana.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
MG
22.5

Botswana 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

BW
$1,310
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
MG
1.8

Botswana 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

BW
55.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
MG
0.1t

Botswana 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

BW
4.2
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
MG
11.3%

Botswana 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

BW
23.4%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
MG
$1,700

Madagascar generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BW
65.6 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
MG
39.0

Botswana generally does better on family life, though Madagascar leads in life expectancy.

Data: Botswana Unified Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Gaborone Rain: 21.7 in/yr (552 mm)
83° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Antananarivo
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana 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.

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Botswana

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

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?

Connectivity is usually fine (Madagascar: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Madagascar offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Botswana performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Botswana?

Botswana 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 3.8 in Botswana. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW MG
Population 2,384,246 28,172,462
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages English, Tswana French, Malagasy
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +267 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999