Moving to Malaysia from Madagascar

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Madagascar to Malaysia, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Malay. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Kuala Lumpur averages 90°F vs 76°F in Antananarivo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Malaysia compared to Madagascar.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MG
22.5
MY
13.9

Malaysia performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MG
$63
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MG
1.8
MY
23.2

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MG
58.0
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MG
0.1t
MY
8.3t

Madagascar performs better than Malaysia 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

MG
0.1
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MG
11.3%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia performs significantly 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

MG
3.1%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MG
$1,700
MY
$33,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MG
68.2 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MG
39.0
MY
6.6

Malaysia performs significantly better than Madagascar across all family life metrics.

Data: General Direction of Taxes, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Antananarivo Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 79°/63°F (26°/17°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Antananarivo Kuala Lumpur
Jan 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C) 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C) 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C) 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C)
Sep 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Oct 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie, Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Madagascar and Malaysia. To live, work, or study long-term in Malaysia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malaysia's immigration authority.

Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Malaysia

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

Malaysia passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Malaysia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Malaysia: 12.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malaysia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Malaysia safe for expats?

Malaysia performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Madagascar?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 1.8 in Madagascar. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Madagascar: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 76°F in Antananarivo. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Antananarivo gets 47.2 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Madagascar, the official languages are French and Malagasy.

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At a Glance

MG MY
Population 28,172,462 33,871,431
Currency Malagasy Ariary (MGA) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages French, Malagasy English, Malay
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +261 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999