Moving to Madagascar from Zimbabwe

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zimbabwe 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Zimbabwe 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

ZW
29.9
MG
22.5

Madagascar performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZW
$63
MG
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.7
MG
1.8

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZW
56.0
MG
58.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
MG
0.1t

Zimbabwe 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

ZW
1.3
MG
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
MG
11.3%

Zimbabwe 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

ZW
8.8%
MG
3.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,500
MG
$1,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZW
63.3 yrs
MG
68.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
28.5
MG
39.0

Zimbabwe generally does better on family life, though Madagascar leads in life expectancy.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Harare Rain: 33.1 in/yr (841 mm)
78° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Antananarivo
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 79°/63°F (26°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 79°/60°F (26°/16°C)
View all months
Month Harare Antananarivo
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.3°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 79°/63°F (26.3°/17.4°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 79°/63°F (26.2°/17.0°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 78°/60°F (25.4°/15.8°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.8°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 71°/53°F (21.4°/11.5°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.5°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 71°/52°F (21.4°/10.9°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.9°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, Direction Générale de la Météorologie Direction Générale de la Météorologie

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe 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.

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Madagascar

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

Madagascar passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa Free
Madagascar passport holders can enter Zimbabwe without a visa.

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 Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

Is Madagascar safe for expats?

Madagascar performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Madagascar compared to Zimbabwe?

Madagascar generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in health coverage index. There are 1.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Madagascar, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Madagascar scores 35 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Antananarivo is 76°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Antananarivo receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in Madagascar?

The official languages in Madagascar are French and Malagasy. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.

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At a Glance

ZW MG
Population 15,121,004 28,172,462
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) Malagasy Ariary (MGA)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language French, Malagasy
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +263 +261
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999