Moving to Madagascar from Japan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Japan 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 Japan 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

JP
2.7
MG
22.5

Japan 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

JP
$5,365
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

JP
26.1
MG
1.8

Japan 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

JP
12.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JP
7.8t
MG
0.1t

Japan 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

JP
37.2
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JP
36.0%
MG
11.3%

Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Madagascar leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

JP
2.6%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$46,300
MG
$1,700

Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Madagascar leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

JP
84.8 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JP
1.9
MG
39.0

Japan performs better than Madagascar across all family life metrics.

Data: National Tax Agency Japan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo Antananarivo
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.

Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Required
Madagascar passport holders need a visa to enter Japan.

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 Japan and Madagascar.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Japan performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Japan?

Japan 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 26.1 in Japan. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.

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At a Glance

JP MG
Population 124,214,766 28,172,462
Currency Japanese Yen (¥) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Japanese French, Malagasy
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +81 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110