Moving to Madagascar from Papua New Guinea

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Papua New Guinea 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Antananarivo averages 76°F vs 88°F in Port Moresby, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Papua New Guinea 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

PG
14.9
MG
22.5

Papua New Guinea 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

PG
$133
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PG
0.6
MG
1.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PG
38.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PG
0.5t
MG
0.1t

Papua New Guinea 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

PG
0.2
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PG
0.1%
MG
11.3%

Papua New Guinea 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

PG
2.6%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PG
$4,200
MG
$1,700

Papua New Guinea generally does better on employment & economy, though Madagascar leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PG
69.4 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PG
33.6
MG
39.0

Papua New Guinea generally does better on family life, though Madagascar leads in education spending.

Data: Internal Revenue Commission, Papua New Guinea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Port Moresby Rain: 35.4 in/yr (899 mm)
88° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Port Moresby Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 89°/74°F (32°/24°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/74°F (32°/24°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Port Moresby Antananarivo
Jan 90°/75°F (32.1°/23.7°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 89°/74°F (31.4°/23.4°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.1°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.6°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.2°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 90°/74°F (32.0°/23.5°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 90°/74°F (32.5°/23.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 90°/75°F (32.4°/23.7°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service Papua New Guinea Meteorological Service, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Papua New Guinea 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.

Papua New Guinea passport

Papua New Guinea passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
Papua New Guinea passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Madagascar.
Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting Papua New Guinea

Visa Required
Madagascar passport holders need a visa to enter Papua New Guinea.

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 Papua New Guinea and Madagascar.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Papua New Guinea performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Papua New Guinea?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Papua New Guinea leads in suicide rate. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 0.6 in Papua New Guinea. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Papua New Guinea: 30).

What's the weather like in Madagascar compared to Papua New Guinea?

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 88°F in Port Moresby. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Port Moresby gets 35.4 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Papua New Guinea, the official languages are English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin.

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At a Glance

PG MG
Population 9,593,498 28,172,462
Currency Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages English, Hiri Motu, Tok Pisin French, Malagasy
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +675 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 000