Madagascar vs Kenya

Madagascar costs roughly 36% less than Kenya, though Kenya scores higher on healthcare. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.

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Madagascar is approximately 36% less expensive than Kenya based on cost of living including rent. This makes Madagascar a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.

Madagascar has a FIRE Score of 100/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The country's safety index is 41.6, suggesting moderate safety levels.

Recommended profile: Madagascar is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.

Overall Winner

About Madagascar

A 1BR apartment in the city center runs $314 a month, less than a parking spot in most US downtowns, and total costs land near $406 monthly. But healthcare scores just 26.4, with limited English-speaking doctors, and political stability sits at -0.91. The retirement visa only needs EUR 500/mo income. This works only if you accept real medical risk in exchange for the savings.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$2,279/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$406
Family (excl. rent)$1,441

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$314
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$149
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$736
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$372

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
100/100
Retiree Score
40/100
Nomad Score
58/100


Country Details →

About Kenya

Kenya suits budget-focused retirees comfortable trading big-city safety for cheap living, not those chasing polish. Rent outside the center runs $140.77/mo and English is widely spoken, but the Safety Index sits at just 44 with low expat safety ratings. The Kenya does not offer a specific retirement visa, but long-stay options exist needs only $2,000/mo income, though political stability at -0.71 and a complex citizenship path mean this is a residency, not a homecoming.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$2,245/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$497
Family (excl. rent)$1,821

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$259
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$141
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$809
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$386

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
100/100
Retiree Score
57/100
Nomad Score
54/100


Country Details →

Battle of Lifestyles

Scroll to compare

MetricMadagascarKenya
Travel Advisory
Level 2: Increased CautionLevel 2: Increased Caution
Quality of Life Index
52.4
101.7 +49.3
Healthcare Index
26.4 62 +35.6
Safety Index
41.6
44 +2.4
Cost of Living Index
20.7 +7.528.2
Living Costs (Single, excl. rent)$406.4 +90.2$496.6
Living Costs (Family, excl. rent)$1,441.2 +380.2$1,821.4
1BR Apartment (Center)$314.19 $258.58 +55.61
1BR Apartment (Outside)$148.98 $140.77 +8.21
3BR Apartment (Center)$736.26 +72.3$808.56
3BR Apartment (Outside)$372.3 +13.44$385.74
Avg Internet Speed50.95 Mbps +5.645.35 Mbps

Frequently Asked Questions

Click any question to expand the answer.

We use a "Pure Data" approach, pulling raw facts from high-authority sources including private sources for real-time crowd-sourced pricing, the World Bank for stability metrics, and official government visa portals.

The FIRE Score is a dynamic metric based on your Monthly Income vs. Total Expenses. It calculates your potential savings rate; the more you save, the higher the score.

Our indices (Quality of Life, Healthcare, Safety, Cost of Living) are relative metrics. For example, a higher Quality of Life Index indicates better purchasing power, safety, and healthcare, while a higher Cost of Living Index means the country is more expensive relative to others.

The Retiree Score is a holistic measure of how suitable a country is for long-term retirement. It is calculated from three main factors: healthcare system quality, safety index, and the general cost of living.

The Nomad Score measures how well a country supports remote workers. It is calculated from average internet speeds, the cost of living, and the safety index.

The "Single" toggle calculates costs based on a 1-Bedroom apartment. "Family" assumes a 3-Bedroom apartment and the expenses for a household of four.