Moving to Switzerland from Madagascar

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Madagascar to Switzerland. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Zurich averages 55°F vs 76°F in Antananarivo, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Madagascar to Switzerland, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
76 ↑ 9% vs 2022

people moved from Madagascar to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Switzerland?

Top countries of origin for Switzerland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Madagascar and Switzerland 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
CH
2.4

Switzerland 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
CH
$10,602
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MG
1.7
CH
44.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland 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
CH
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MG
0.1t
CH
3.8t

Madagascar generally does better on environment, though Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MG
0.1
CH
47.0
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MG
11.3%
CH
6.5%

Switzerland performs significantly better than Madagascar across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MG
3.0%
CH
4.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MG
$599
CH
$114,769

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MG
63.8 yrs
CH
84.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MG
43.0
CH
3.4

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), General Direction of Taxes (2016), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Switzerland vs Madagascar

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Zurich Rain: 42.8 in/yr (1086 mm)
55° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Antananarivo Zurich
Jan–Mar 79°/63°F (26°/17°C) 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 62°/45°F (17°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 70°/53°F (21°/12°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 46°/36°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Antananarivo Zurich
Jan 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C) 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C)
Feb 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C)
Mar 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C) 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C)
Apr 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C) 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C)
May 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C) 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C)
Jul 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C)
Aug 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C) 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C)
Sep 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C)
Oct 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C)
Nov 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C)
Dec 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C)

Data: Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie, MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology

Can you move from Madagascar to Switzerland?

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

Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Switzerland

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

Switzerland passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
Switzerland 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 Switzerland?

With 47.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Switzerland 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 Switzerland.

Is Switzerland safe for expats?

Switzerland performs significantly better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Madagascar?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 1.7 in Madagascar. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Madagascar: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Zurich is 55°F, compared to 76°F in Antananarivo. Zurich receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Antananarivo gets 47.2 in.

What language do they speak in Switzerland?

The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In Madagascar, the official languages are French and Malagasy.

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At a Glance

MG CH
Population 32,740,678 9,092,436
Currency Malagasy Ariary (MGA) Swiss Franc (CHF)
Languages French, Malagasy French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +261 +41
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 112