Moving to Saudi Arabia from Madagascar

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Madagascar to Saudi Arabia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 76°F in Antananarivo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Madagascar and Saudi Arabia 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

MG
22.5
SA
18.5

Saudi Arabia 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
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MG
1.8
SA
30.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia 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
SA
91.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MG
0.1t
SA
18.5t

Madagascar performs better than Saudi Arabia 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
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MG
11.3%
SA
974.2%

Saudi Arabia 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

MG
3.1%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MG
$1,700
SA
$49,600

Saudi Arabia 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

MG
68.2 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MG
39.0
SA
12.3

Saudi Arabia 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

Riyadh Rain: 4.4 in/yr (111 mm)
92° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Antananarivo Riyadh
Jan–Mar 79°/63°F (26°/17°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Antananarivo Riyadh
Jan 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie, National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

Visa Required
Madagascar passport holders need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia passport

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia?

With 37.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Saudi Arabia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Madagascar and Saudi Arabia.

Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Madagascar?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 1.8 in Madagascar. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Madagascar: 35).

What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Madagascar?

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 76°F in Antananarivo. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Antananarivo gets 47.2 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Madagascar, the official languages are French and Malagasy.

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At a Glance

MG SA
Population 28,172,462 35,354,380
Currency Malagasy Ariary (MGA) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages French, Malagasy Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +261 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911