Moving to Madagascar from Norway

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Norway to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Antananarivo averages 76°F vs 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NO
1.5
MG
22.5

Norway 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

NO
$9,523
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NO
51.7
MG
1.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway 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

NO
8.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NO
7.2t
MG
0.1t

Norway 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

NO
45.9
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NO
2.0%
MG
11.3%

Norway performs better than Madagascar across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NO
3.6%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NO
$90,500
MG
$1,700

Norway 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

NO
82.5 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NO
2.3
MG
39.0

Norway performs better than Madagascar across all family life metrics.

Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oslo Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Oslo Antananarivo
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.

Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Norway

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

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?

Norway performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Norway?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

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At a Glance

NO MG
Population 5,553,840 28,172,462
Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami French, Malagasy
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +47 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112