Moving to Zimbabwe from Madagascar

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Madagascar to Zimbabwe, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Madagascar and Zimbabwe 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
ZW
29.9

Madagascar performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MG
$63
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MG
1.8
ZW
1.7

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MG
58.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MG
0.1t
ZW
0.8t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MG
0.1
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MG
11.3%
ZW
46.1%

Zimbabwe 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%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MG
$1,700
ZW
$3,500

Madagascar generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe 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
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MG
39.0
ZW
28.5

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

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

Harare Rain: 33.1 in/yr (841 mm)
78° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Antananarivo Harare
Jan–Mar 79°/63°F (26°/17°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Antananarivo Harare
Jan 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe?

With 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Madagascar performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Madagascar?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in health coverage index. There are 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 1.8 in Madagascar. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Madagascar: 35).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 76°F in Antananarivo. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Antananarivo gets 47.2 in.

What language do they speak in Zimbabwe?

The official languages in Zimbabwe are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language. In Madagascar, the official languages are French and Malagasy.

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At a Glance

MG ZW
Population 28,172,462 15,121,004
Currency Malagasy Ariary (MGA) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages French, Malagasy Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +261 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999