Moving to Madagascar from Malawi

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Malawi to Madagascar — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Malawi to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Malawi to Madagascar.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MW
20.2
MG
22.5

Malawi 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

MW
$125
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MW
0.5
MG
1.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi 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

MW
43.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MW
0.2t
MG
0.1t

Malawi generally does better on environment, though Madagascar leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MW
0.1
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MW
17.5%
MG
11.3%

Malawi 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

MW
5.0%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MW
$1,700
MG
$1,700

Malawi 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

MW
72.4 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MW
33.4
MG
39.0

Malawi generally does better on family life, though Madagascar leads in education spending.

Data: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lilongwe Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Lilongwe Antananarivo
Jan 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi 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.

Malawi passport

Malawi passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Malawi

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Madagascar passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Malawi.

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Madagascar has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Malawi performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Malawi?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in health coverage index. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 0.5 in Malawi. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.

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At a Glance

MW MG
Population 20,794,353 28,172,462
Currency Malawian Kwacha (MWK) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Chewa, English French, Malagasy
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +265 +261
Time zones 1 1