Madagascar Travel Budget - Visit Madagascar on a Budget or Travel in Style

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Madagascar is an amazing destination known for its beauty, culture, food, and exciting activities. In this travel cost guide, we'll cover everything you need to know to plan your travel budget and have and amazing trip without spending too much. This guide includes average trip costs from previous travelers, typical hotel prices, food and dining costs, entertainment and sightseeing prices, and information about transportation.

How much does it cost to travel to Madagascar?

You should plan to spend around $100 (MGA463,896) per day on your vacation in Madagascar. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

  • $49 (MGA226,111) on meals
  • $13 (MGA62,509) on local transportation
  • $68 (MGA314,697) on hotels

A one week trip to Madagascar for two people costs, on average, $1,396 (MGA6,494,544). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

  • Average Daily Cost Per person, per day
    $100
    MGA463,896
  • One Week Per person
    $698
    MGA3,247,272
  • 2 Weeks Per person
    $1,396
    MGA6,494,544
  • One Month Per person
    $2,992
    MGA13,916,880
  • One Week For a couple
    $1,396
    MGA6,494,544
  • 2 Weeks For a couple
    $2,793
    MGA12,989,088
  • One Month For a couple
    $5,984
    MGA27,833,760
This data comes from the travel budgets of real travelers - How it works. Put these numbers on your website.


How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to Madagascar cost?

A one week trip to Madagascar usually costs around $698 (MGA3,247,272) for one person and $1,396 (MGA6,494,544) for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to Madagascar on average costs around $1,396 (MGA6,494,544) for one person and $2,793 (MGA12,989,088) for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in Madagascar will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to Madagascar on average costs around $2,992 (MGA13,916,880) for one person and $5,984 (MGA27,833,760) for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.




How much do package tours cost in Madagascar?

Organized tours are usually more expensive than independent travel, but offer convenience and peace of mind that your trip has been planned by a travel expert.

The average price for an organized tour package in Madagascar is $254 per day. While every tour varies by total price, length, number of destinations, and quality, this is the daily average price based on our analysis of available guided tours.



Independent Travel

Traveling Independently has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

Is Madagascar expensive to visit?

Madagascar is a reasonably affordable destination to visit. It is in the top 25% of countries in the world for its affordability. If you're traveling on a budget, then this is a good destination with affordable accommodation, food, and transportation.

Within Africa, Madagascar is moderately priced compared to the other countries. The overall cost of travel here is comparable to Namibia or Tanzania.

Whether you're watching your wallet or ready to splurge, Madagascar provides a range of accommodation options and things to do. There are budget accommodation options like hostels in Antananarivo, but if you're looking for a higher-end stay, luxury hotels are available, as well as mid-range choices for families or couples.

While Madagascar can be costly, following advice like eating at less expensive restaurants and enjoying free activities can make your trip more affordable.

On average, budget travelers spend $43 (MGA196,562) per person per day, mid-range travelers spend $102 (MGA463,896) per day, and luxury travelers spend around $215 (MGA979,525) per day. These costs are calculated from the expenses of previous travelers to Madagascar.

For more details, see Is Madagascar Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to Madagascar?

The average Madagascar trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Madagascar travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers. Also, you can see more details at How much does a trip to Madagascar cost?

Madagascar on a Budget
Category Budget Mid-Range Luxury
Accommodation 1
For 1 person in double occupancy 		$14
(MGA66,453) 		$34
(MGA157,348) 		$72
(MGA335,426)
Local Transportation 1 $5.86
(MGA27,250) 		$13
(MGA62,509) 		$26
(MGA120,857)
Food 2 $21
(MGA96,319) 		$49
(MGA226,111) 		$101
(MGA469,985)
Entertainment 1 $7.22
(MGA33,563) 		$17
(MGA79,458) 		$36
(MGA169,313)
Alcohol 2 $2-6
(MGA8,891-26,672) 		$5-14
(MGA20,951-62,854) 		$9-28
(MGA44,047-132,142)
From real travelers - How these numbers are calculated

Realistic Expectations for Your Travel Budget

It's important to have realistic expectations for your travel budget. While many people assume they can travel to Madagascar without spending much money, the reality is that most people are not comfortable traveling on an extremely low "shoestring" budget. Consider what you really enjoy doing when you are on vacation and how you've traveled in the past. Do you prefer resorts, vacation rentals, or hostels? Do you like to experience all of the activities, museums, and sights? Is dining out at delicious restaurants important to you? Your answers to these questions will affect your overall travel budget and itinerary.

What Defines a Budget Traveler?

Many people hear that you can visit Madagascar for $43 per day, but unless you're willing to eliminate a lot of comforts from your trip, prepare to spend a significant amount more.

Backpackers can often get away with this shoestring budget, but it usually involves staying in hostel dorms, eating at the cheapest restaurants or fast food places, taking public transit or walking, and only visiting free attractions.

Luckily, Madagascar boasts a wide range of hostels. The highest concentration can be found in Antananarivo.

Could You Be an Average Traveler?

As a couple or family, you'll likely want to stay in a mid-range hotel, dine at popular restaurants, and explore major museums and attractions, many of which have entry fees. You won't want to miss all of the major sights and attractions. Since most things cost money, your daily budget should realistically be closer to $102 per person, per day.

There are a wide range of hotels and vacation rentals in Madagascar. If you're traveling with others, you'll share your hotel with a partner, friend, or your children, so costs will be split accordingly, saving money. In places like Antananarivo, which are particularly family-friendly, you'll find hotels and restaurants that cater to kids. Also, in Antananarivo, Tamboho Hotels is a good kid-friendly option, and in Antananarivo, Hotel Restaurant La Ribaudiere is also terrific. You'll find more hotels that cater to families and couples in our hotel guide for Madagascar here.

Dreaming of a Stylish Getaway?

If you're looking for an all encompassing trip with every amenity and a higher level of service, then prepare yourself for a price tag closer to $215 per day. To stay in nicer hotels, eat at award winning restaurants, splurge on extravagant excursions, and hire private drivers to get around, you'll need to be prepared for a more "luxury" set of prices. With this level of spending, you'll be traveling alongside the rich and famous in places like Antananarivo and Antsiranana. Or you could plan an multi-day adventure by booking a higher end tour such as Andasibe Lemur Experience 4 Days/3 Nights. - offered by Across Africa Tours & Travel.

Accommodation Budget in Madagascar

In Madagascar, you'll find a wide range of hotel prices, from budget to luxury. Peak season brings higher costs, but if you travel in the off-season, prices drop. Booking ahead is another great way to save some money.

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid in Madagascar for two people for a typical double-occupancy hotel room is $68 (MGA314,697). For one person sharing a room, the average price paid for a hotel room is $34 (MGA157,348) per night. These costs are from the reported spending of actual travelers.


  • Accommodation1 Hotel or hostel for one person
    $34
    MGA157,348
  • Accommodation1 Typical double-occupancy room
    $68
    MGA314,697

Hotels in Madagascar

Looking for a hotel in Madagascar? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.



Actual Hotel Prices in Madagascar

The average hotel room price in Madagascar based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $61 in the low season and $114 in the peak season. Below are the average prices for each budget category. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)


Recommended Properties


Local Transportation Budget in Madagascar

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • On average, past travelers have spent $13 (MGA62,509) per person, per day, on local transportation in Madagascar. The cost of a taxi ride or rideshare service (Uber/Lyft) in Madagascar is significantly more than public transportation.


  • Local Transportation1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    $13
    MGA62,509
Local Transportation Tips

Recommended Services


Food Budget in Madagascar

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • While restaurant and meal prices in Madagascar can vary significantly, the average cost of food in Madagascar is $49 (MGA226,111) per day, per person, based on the spending habits of previous travelers.


  • Food2 Meals for one day
    $49
    MGA226,111

When dining out, the average daily cost for food in Madagascar is around $50 (MGA226111) per person, with previous travelers spending from $21 to $103. Generally, breakfast and lunch cost less than dinner, but this will depend on the type of restaurant and what you order.

Typical meal prices in Madagascar are as follows:

  • Breakfast: $9 to $15
  • Lunch: $7 to $25
  • Dinner: $17 to $40
  • Coffee: $4
  • Fast Food or Street Food: $8

Rice is the staple ingredient throughout Madagascar. Rice is prepared with laoka, or an accompaniment. These accompaniments are generally a sauce made from any number of ingredients. In the highlands the sauce is usually tomato based, while in coastal areas coconut milk is a prominent ingredient. Nuts, fish, meat, or vegetables are all combined in different forms to create these dishes. Ginger, garlic and spices are commonly used to give the sauce a more complex flavor.

Vary Amin'anana: This traditional porridge is made with rice, a significant amount of water, meat and chopped greens. It is on of the most popular variations of vary sosoa, which is a rice porridge generally eaten for breakfast.

Romazava: This broth is considered the national dish of Madagascar. It is a beef broth that usually includes ingredients such as tomato, onion and ginger. Anamalao flowers are the defining ingredient in Romazava. These flowers have a mild analgesic effect when consumed.

Mofo Gasy: Mofo is a street food that includes most cakes and fritters in Madagascar. Mofo Gasy is the most common form and is made from a sweetened rice flour batter. It is poured into greased, circular dishes and then cooked over charcoal. It is generally served as a breakfast dish with coffee.

Food & Dining Tips

When dining with children, make sure to find restaurants that offer a childrens' menu. This can save you a considerable amount, as those meals are usually much cheaper. Also, remember that some restaurants might not list the kids' options, so it's a good idea to ask your waiter.

Many hotels offer breakfast as part of the room rate, but some may charge extra for it. The price and quality of breakfast can differ greatly between hotels. Being informed beforehand can help you determine if you want to spend more on that hotel buffet or if a nearby bakery or café would be a more budget-friendly option.

Instead of purchasing drinks everywhere, bring a water bottle along. It's also an eco-conscious choice.

Before you head out on a tour, it's important to check which meals are included. If you have to pay for some meals yourself, it could affect your overall budget.

If you want to experience the culture in Madagascar, a food tour or cooking class is a great way to do it. After all, cuisine is one of the reasons why so many people visit. A few of the best culinary activities here include:

  • Cooking And Cuisine Tasting From Tana-Malagasy Fine Foodie Madagascar Tour for $245 details
  • MADAGASCAR DIEGO SUAREZ: COOKING CLASS for $57 details
  • MADAGASCAR DIEGO SUAREZ: STREETFOOD TOUR for $57 details

Recommended


Sightseeing and Activities Budget in Madagascar

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • Sightseeing activities, entertainment, and entrance tickets in Madagascar typically cost an average of $17 (MGA79,458) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.


  • Entertainment1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    $17
    MGA79,458
Sightseeing Tips

Local tours that last a few hours can be a great way to explore Madagascar. Prices vary by the type of activity or tour, the dates, and the size of the group. Here are a few of the highest rated tours by previous visitors:

  • Full-Day Exclusive Private Tour to Nosy Tanikely Marine Reserve for $204 details
  • Guided tour to Lokobe Natural Park for $91 details
  • Full-Day Exclusive Private Tour in Nosy Be with Luxury Lunch for $183 details
  • Private Tour Through the Wildlife of Madagascar and the Kingdom of Rova for $135 details

Recommended Activities


Nightlife Budget in Madagascar

Average Daily Costs

Calculated from travelers like you

  • The average person spends about $9.01 (MGA41,903) on nightlife and alcoholic beverages in Madagascar per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.


  • Alcohol2 Drinks for one day
    $9.01
    MGA41,903
Nightlife Tips

While enjoying the local nightlife is part of the adventure, limiting drinks can help stretch your travel funds.



Budgeting and Travel Tips

  • The peak season in Madagascar is in the summer when it's buzzing with tourists, and with the surge in visitors comes an increase in prices. Hotels fill up fast, and finding affordable accommodation can be a bit of a challenge. If you want to keep things budget-friendly, visiting during the shoulder or low seasons is a great way to avoid the crowds and save some money.

Budgeting Challenges

  • If you're a backpacker in Madagascar, don't count on easily finding a budget dorm bed as hostels are pretty scarce here.


Related Articles
AntananarivoAntsirananaThe Best Backpacker Hostels in Antananarivo, Madagascar
Traveling in Madagascar
Madagascar Antananarivo

Madagascar is both a country and an island that is located in the Indian Ocean off of the eastern coast of Africa. It is also the fourth largest island in the world. Because the island has remained isolated from the mainland, it has a unique diversity of plants and animals that can not be found anywhere else in the world. 90% of the islands plants are unique to Madagascar, but many of the species are endangered due to human activity and deforestation. Lemurs are a particularly famous animal found only in Madagascar. Most species are considered either threatened or endangered.

Madagascar has tropical rainforest on its eastern, or windward side, and the western and southern sides are tropical dry forests, thorn forests, and desert because they are sheltered from the rain by the central highlands.

Madagascar's climate is tropical along the coast and temperate inland. It is arid in the south. There are two seasons in Madagascar, a rainy and hot season that runs between November and April, and a cooler, dry season between May and October. The island itself has a good amount of variation in climate due to significant variations in elevation. The eastern coast has a sub-equatorial climate and the most rainfall. During the rainy season it is also prone to cyclones. The central highlands are drier and significantly cooler but thunderstorms are common during the rainy season.

At A Glance
  • Air Madagascar is the dominant airline in the country. A variety of domestic flights are available. Internal flights are a good option because the roads on the island are in very poor condition. Flight schedules change frequently so do check the status of your flight in advance.

  • Train is a slow and uncomfortable way to travel, but it does offer some excellent views of the countryside. It is also a cheap way to travel, but if you hope to get a 2nd class ticket, make sure you arrive early as they sell out quickly and advanced booking is not an option.

  • Biking in Madagascar is a great way to explore the island. There is very little traffic so it is possible to cruise along safely down the road. You can stay in the many small towns and villages and really get a feel for the countryside. You will likely need to camp during some of your trip. Basic guesthouses may also be an option. The roads are in very poor condition so you must have a mountain bike or heavy duty tourer. Rainy season is also tricky, particularly on the east coast where the main north-south road may become impassable.

  • Remarkably, almost the entire island of Madagascar speaks one language, Malagasy. Although most people speak this language, there are many different dialects, but the Merina dialect is considered "official Malagasy". French is the official second language of Madagascar. It is frequently used in business interactions but not everyone on the island speaks it proficiently. Some workers in the tourism industry also speak basic English.

  • There are a handful of outdoor and water sports you can enjoy in Madagascar. These include windsurfing, guided kayaking, deep sea fishing and diving. Windsurfing is best done between April and November.

Related
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Top Tourist Attractions

Tsingy de Bemaraha: This is Madagascar's largest reserve as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The dramatic landscape includes razor sharp limestone pinnacles that are collectively called the Labyrinth of Stone. In the surrounding deciduous forest you can see brown lemurs and the rare Decken's sifaka. There is a variety of unique plant life as well. In total, the forest is home to over 50 species of birds, 7 species of lemurs, and countless unique and rare animals. The reserve is located 180 kilometers north of Morondava.

Tsingy de Ankarana: This smaller reserve is similar to Tsingy de Bemaraha, although not as impressive. It's located in the north on the national road to Antisirana and is very easily accessible to visitors. It is home to three types of lemurs as well as chameleons.

Avenue of the Baobabs: This impressive group of Baobab trees is located 45 minutes north of Morondava on the west coast of Madagascar. It is a popular destination in the Menave Region and is nominated as one of the 7 Wonders of Africa. Some of the trees are more than 800 years old and over 30 meters high. It's a particularly beautiful place to visit at sunset. You can read more about the Avenue of the Baobabs here.



We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.



1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.


Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
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