Moving to Madagascar from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Netherlands to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Antananarivo averages 76°F vs 56°F in Amsterdam, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Netherlands and Madagascar 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

NL
3.4
MG
22.5

Netherlands performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

NL
$8,195
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NL
39.1
MG
1.8

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Madagascar leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NL
13.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
MG
0.1t

Netherlands 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

NL
44.4
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.1%
MG
11.3%

Netherlands 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

NL
3.6%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$69,300
MG
$1,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NL
82.2 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
MG
39.0

Netherlands performs better than Madagascar across all family life metrics.

Data: Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Antananarivo
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Netherlands

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

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?

With 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Madagascar can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Netherlands and Madagascar.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Netherlands performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Netherlands?

Netherlands generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Madagascar leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 39.1 in Netherlands. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL MG
Population 17,400,824 28,172,462
Currency Euro (€) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Dutch French, Malagasy
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +31 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112