Living in Antananarivo, Madagascar

Antananarivo is a large inland city in Analamanga, Madagascar (1 to 5 million people in the city proper). It has a mild climate, averaging 18°C over the year with about 1,210 mm of rain. We estimate a couple needs about €2,278 a month to live centrally. For foreigners, long-term residency in Madagascar is comparatively open, with a self-funded route from about $582 a month in income.

See how Antananarivo ranks for you

12 questions, about 4 minutes, no account needed. Taking the quiz is free, and so is seeing your #1 city. Full results for both of you are a one-time US$12 (€12 in Europe).

Est. cost: €2,278; a month for a couple
Climate: 18°C; 1,210 mm rain a year
Size: Large; 1 to 5 million people
Safety: 47/100; country-level
Residency: Comparatively open; for most foreigners

Limited data for Madagascar. Figures for safety, healthcare, cost of living and political stability in Madagascar are country-level estimates from World Bank indicators, each named with its year. We have no tax, English, social openness or internet speed figures for Madagascar, so the quiz scores those factors conservatively and this page leaves them out.

What stands out about Antananarivo

Self-funded residency from about $582 a month in income
More affordable than 82% of the cities we compare

Healthcare

Madagascar scores 40 out of 100 for healthcare, stronger than 1% of the cities we compare.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Madagascar: life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024) and current health spending per person in US dollars (SH.XPD.CHEX.PC.CD, 2023), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Residency and visas

Comparatively open. Realistic long-term routes are an expatriate-retiree transformable long-stay visa backed by proof of pension income, a discretionary investor/business visa processed through the EDBM, and employer-sponsored work or family-reunification permits, with the first resident card issued for one year and renewable toward 3-, 5-, and 10-year terms.

The cheapest self-funded routes we track for Madagascar:

Income: about $582 a month (Madagascar expatriate-retiree transformable long-stay visa, EUR 500/mo minimum pension (converted at EUR/USD 1.1637); as of June 2026)

For short visits, 196 of 198 passports can get an e-visa or visa on arrival and 2 need a visa in advance.

Source: OurNextCity residency dataset, hand-reviewed approximations researched against published immigration rules, figures as of June 2026. Not legal advice: check the official source before you apply. Short-stay entry from the passport-index dataset (ilyankou, MIT).

Safety and stability

Madagascar scores 47 out of 100 on safety, safer than 12% of the cities we compare. Its estimated democracy score is 4.6 out of 10.

Source: Country-level estimate, the same for every city in Madagascar: Worldwide Governance Indicators Political Stability and Absence of Violence estimate (GOV_WGI_PV.EST, 2025) and life expectancy at birth (SP.DYN.LE00.IN, 2024), calibrated to the 0 to 100 scale of our reference tables (higher is safer). Stability: Worldwide Governance Indicators Voice and Accountability estimate (GOV_WGI_VA.EST, 2025), calibrated to the EIU Democracy Index scale. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Cost of living

We estimate a couple needs about €2,278 a month to live centrally in Antananarivo, 17% below the €2,729 median across the 900 cities we compare. That makes it more affordable than 82% of them.

Source: OurNextCity model from the price level of GDP relative to the United States, from GDP per person in US dollars and at purchasing power parity (NY.GDP.PCAP.CD/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, 2025), calibrated to our country-level cost index (New York = 100) and scaled up for larger cities. An estimate for comparing cities, not a budget. Source: The World Bank (World Development Indicators, Worldwide Governance Indicators), CC BY 4.0.

Climate

Antananarivo averages 18°C across the year with about 1,210 mm of rain, which makes it mild and wet. It is warmer than 47% of the 1225 cities we track.

Source: Temperature from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, daily means for 2019 to 2023; rainfall from TerraClimate (University of Idaho) 1991 to 2020 normals. Annual averages; monthly breakdowns are not in our dataset yet.

Questions couples ask about Antananarivo

Is Antananarivo a good place to live for couples?

It depends on what the two of you weigh most. Compared with the other cities we track, Antananarivo scores well on affordability. It is weaker on safety and healthcare. Our figures for Madagascar are partial: no tax, English, social openness or internet speed data, and country-level World Bank estimates for the rest. Expect a mild, wet climate (18°C average). OurNextCity has each partner answer 12 questions privately, then ranks Antananarivo and 914 other cities for both of you at once.

How much does it cost a couple to live in Antananarivo?

We estimate about €2,278 a month for a couple living centrally, 17% below the €2,729 median across the cities we compare. It is a model estimate from the World Bank price level of GDP for Madagascar, calibrated to our country-level cost index adjusted for city size, so use it to compare cities rather than to set a budget.

Can foreigners live in Madagascar long term?

Our assessment: comparatively open. Realistic long-term routes are an expatriate-retiree transformable long-stay visa backed by proof of pension income, a discretionary investor/business visa processed through the EDBM, and employer-sponsored work or family-reunification permits, with the first resident card issued for one year and renewable toward 3-, 5-, and 10-year terms. The cheapest self-funded routes we track: income, about $582 a month (as of 2026-06).

What is the weather like in Antananarivo?

Antananarivo averages 18°C across the year with about 1,210 mm of rain, which makes it mild and wet. It is warmer than 47% of the cities we track.