Moving to Madagascar from Cambodia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Cambodia to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Antananarivo averages 76°F vs 90°F in Phnom Penh, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Cambodia 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

KH
18.8
MG
22.5

Cambodia 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

KH
$350
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

affects wait times and access to care

KH
2.1
MG
1.8

Cambodia 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

KH
60.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KH
1.1t
MG
0.1t

Madagascar performs significantly better than Cambodia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KH
3.0
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KH
1.0%
MG
11.3%

Cambodia 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

KH
0.2%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KH
$5,100
MG
$1,700

Cambodia performs better than Madagascar across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KH
70.7 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KH
29.6
MG
39.0

Cambodia performs better than Madagascar across all family life metrics.

Data: General Department of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Phnom Penh Rain: 51.8 in/yr (1316 mm)
90° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phnom Penh Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Phnom Penh Antananarivo
Jan 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cambodia 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.

Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Cambodia

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

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 Cambodia and Madagascar.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Cambodia performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Cambodia?

Cambodia 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 2.1 in Cambodia. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cambodia: 58).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 90°F in Phnom Penh. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Phnom Penh gets 51.8 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.

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At a Glance

KH MG
Population 16,713,015 28,172,462
Currency Cambodian Riel (KHR) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Khmer French, Malagasy
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +855 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 117