Handling money and daily travel budget
Madagascar is a very cash-based economy. You can withdraw money with your Visa card at the ATMs of all banks. But we also strongly recommend bringing additional Euros with you in cash, for unforeseen things. A good way to safely handle cash on your travels in Madagascar is to load it onto your mobile money account ( which works like a banking app you know from back home). Read on to learn how to use Mobile Money on your travels in Madagascar.
A daily budget of €100 per couple will be sufficient for most travellers to cover fuel, park entrance fees, a room in a mid-range hotel and food & drinks.
Handling money on your travel in Madagascar
Madagascar is a very cash-based economy. A good way to safely handle cash on your travels in Madagascar is to load it onto your mobile money account ( which works like a banking app you know from back home).
When you buy a local SIM card and load it with airtime and an internet bundle, you can activate mobile money in the settings. When you have activated mobile money, you can load cash onto your phone at any Telecom kiosk, which are widespread throughout the country. You can then pay vendors, such as your restaurant bill, via mobile money. It also comes in handy for emergencies. We have seen clients travelling the West Coast and getting out of money because there are no ATMs. Then Peter, our manager on site, can send money to your phone.
So to summarize - we strongly recommend bringing sufficient euros with you in cash and upon arrival, loading it onto your mobile money account.
In addition, you can withdraw money with your Visa card at the ATMs of all banks. Mastercard has limitations. Only BFV, BNI and MCB accept Mastercard. Hardly any hotel accepts Mastercard. Try to withdraw in the morning, as in the end of the day, you run the risk that ATMs are empty.
When withdrawing cash from an ATM, the maximum amount you can withdraw once is 40 notes. Since the biggest note is 20,000 Ar, the maximum withdrawal amount is 800,000 Ar or approximately €165. Only BMOI bank has introduced new cash points that allow withdrawals of up to 1.2 million Ar per transaction. Although you can make multiple withdrawals with most cards, bringing multiple credit cards is advisable.
How much to budget for my travel to Madagascar
To travel to Madagascar is for most a costly affair, but when you're here you live in clover or ''als god in Frankrijk''. A daily budget of €100 per couple on top of your Roadtrip Madagascar rental car will be sufficient for most travellers to cover fuel, park entrance fees, double room and food & drinks.
A tasty French meal at a restaurant/lodge costs between €6 and €12. Accommodation is a fraction of what it costs in the rest of East Africa, let alone Europe or the USA. There are many small-scale, owner-managed lodges, and quality standards are pretty good.
- Budget: up to €30 for a double room
- Mid-range: up to €60
- Deluxe: unlikely to cost more than €125 per room.
A 10% tip is considered high, yet received with great gratitude. If you're happy with the service, please be generous. Tips at most places are equally shared among all staff.
