Moving to Madagascar from Laos

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Laos to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Antananarivo averages 76°F vs 88°F in Vientiane, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Madagascar compared to Laos.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LA
16.4
MG
22.5

Laos 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

LA
$123
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LA
3.3
MG
1.8

Laos 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

LA
69.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LA
3.4t
MG
0.1t

Madagascar performs significantly better than Laos 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

LA
2.4
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LA
4.8%
MG
11.3%

Laos 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

LA
1.2%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LA
$8,400
MG
$1,700

Laos 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

LA
68.2 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LA
37.8
MG
39.0

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Vientiane Rain: 65.4 in/yr (1660 mm)
88° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Vientiane Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/67°F (30°/20°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Vientiane Antananarivo
Jan 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.4°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 91°/71°F (33.0°/21.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 94°/75°F (34.3°/23.8°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 91°/76°F (33.0°/24.6°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.9°/24.9°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 88°/76°F (31.3°/24.7°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 87°/76°F (30.8°/24.6°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 88°/75°F (30.9°/24.1°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 83°/62°F (28.1°/16.7°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), Lao PDR, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Laos 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.

Laos passport

Laos passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Laos

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

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?

Laos performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Laos?

Laos 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 3.3 in Laos. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Laos: 52).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 88°F in Vientiane. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Vientiane gets 65.4 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Laos, the official language is Lao.

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At a Glance

LA MG
Population 7,749,595 28,172,462
Currency Laotian Kip (LAK) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Lao French, Malagasy
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +856 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 191