How much should I budget for my Madagascar road trip?
How to withdraw money in Madagascar
Madagascar is a very cash-based economy. You can withdraw money with your Visa card at the ATM’s of all banks. Mastercard has limitations. Only BFV, BNI and MCB accept Mastercard. Hardly any hotel accepts Mastercard.
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. However, you can make multiple withdrawals with most cards. BMOI bank has introduced new cash points that allow withdrawals of up to 1.2 million Ar per transaction.
In rural areas, cash rules. We strongly recommend bringing additional Euros with you in cash, for unforeseen things. These can easily be changed to Ariary at any Forex Bureau in most provincial towns.
Travel budget
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 people 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 high.
- Budget: up to € 15 for a double room
- Mid-range: up to € 50
- Deluxe: unlikely to costs 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.