Moving to Madagascar from Somalia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Somalia to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Antananarivo averages 76°F vs 86°F in Mogadishu, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SO
20.2
MG
22.5

Somalia 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

SO
$52
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2014

affects wait times and access to care

SO
0.2
MG
1.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia 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

SO
64.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SO
0.0t
MG
0.1t

Somalia generally does better on environment, though Madagascar 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

SO
0.7
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SO
24.5%
MG
11.3%

Somalia 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

SO
19.0%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SO
$1,500
MG
$1,700

Madagascar performs significantly better than Somalia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SO
55.7 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SO
86.5
MG
39.0

Madagascar performs significantly better than Somalia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Mogadishu Rain: 18.7 in/yr (474 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Mogadishu Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 86°/74°F (30°/24°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/73°F (29°/23°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Mogadishu Antananarivo
Jan 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Somalia 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.

Somalia passport

Somalia passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Somalia

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

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?

Somalia performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Somalia?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 0.2 in Somalia. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Somalia: 27).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 86°F in Mogadishu. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Mogadishu gets 18.7 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Somalia, the official languages are Arabic and Somali.

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At a Glance

SO MG
Population 12,386,248 28,172,462
Currency Somali Shilling (SOS) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Arabic, Somali French, Malagasy
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +252 +261
Time zones 1 1