Moving to Madagascar from Gambia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Gambia 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 Banjul, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Gambia 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

GM
22.0
MG
22.5

Gambia 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

GM
$94
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
MG
1.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gambia leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GM
90.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
MG
0.1t

Madagascar performs significantly better than Gambia 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

GM
0.2
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
MG
11.3%

Gambia 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

GM
6.5%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
MG
$1,700

Gambia 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

GM
67.6 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
MG
39.0

Madagascar generally does better on family life, though Gambia leads in infant mortality.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Antananarivo
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Gambia 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.

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Madagascar passport holders can enter Gambia without a visa.

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 Gambia and Madagascar.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Gambia performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Gambia?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Gambia leads in health coverage index. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 1.0 in Gambia. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Gambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GM MG
Population 2,413,403 28,172,462
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages English French, Malagasy
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +261
Time zones 1 1