Moving to Madagascar from United Arab Emirates

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Madagascar, and you’d need to navigate life in French and Malagasy. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Antananarivo averages 76°F vs 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Madagascar.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AE
5.9
MG
22.5

United Arab Emirates performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per personWorld Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AE
$3,727
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

AE
29.1
MG
1.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AE
70.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capitaWorld Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AE
18.3t
MG
0.1t

Madagascar performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AE
40.0
MG
0.1
Water stress levelUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AE
1533.3%
MG
11.3%

United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Madagascar leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateThe World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AE
2.7%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capitaThe World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AE
$75,600
MG
$1,700

United Arab Emirates performs better than Madagascar across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyThe World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AE
79.6 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortalityThe World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AE
5.1
MG
39.0

United Arab Emirates performs better than Madagascar across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Abu DhabiRain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93°/68°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsAbu DhabiAntananarivo
Jan–Mar78°/56°F (26°/14°C)79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun99°/72°F (37°/22°C)75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep106°/81°F (41°/27°C)72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec87°/64°F (31°/18°C)79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
MonthAbu DhabiAntananarivo
Jan75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°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 United Arab Emirates 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.

United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Madagascar

Visa on Arrival
United Arab Emirates passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Madagascar.
Madagascar passport

Madagascar passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

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

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?

United Arab Emirates performs better than Madagascar across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to United Arab Emirates?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).

What's the weather like in Madagascar compared to United Arab Emirates?

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

AE MG
Population9,915,80328,172,462
CurrencyUnited Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
LanguagesArabicFrench, Malagasy
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+971+261
Time zones11
Emergency number999