The invention discloses a preparation method for a magnesium-aluminum alloy. The method comprises the following steps that (1) activating treatment and melting treatment are conducted, specifically, magnesium powder, aluminum powder, zinc powder, manganese powder, copper powder, silica powder, iron powder, nickel powder, beryllium powder and a rare earth compound and calcium silicate composition are placed into smelting equipment to be heated to 500-550 DEG C, subjected to activating treatment for 10-12 h under 3-10 MPa pressure conditions, then heated to 730-750 DEG C, and subjected to melting treatment for 8-10 h to obtain molten materials; and (2) die-casting forming is conducted, specifically, a secondary injection mode is adopted, the molten materials are compression-injected into a die with the surface coated with a release agent in a die-casting machine, and the finished magnesium-aluminum alloy is obtained. According to the preparation method for the magnesium-aluminum alloy, the material sources are wide, the cost is low, and the machining cost can be greatly lowered; and the prepared magnesium-aluminum alloy further has excellent mechanical performance, the application market for the magnesium-aluminum alloy is greatly expanded, and the alloy has wide popularization prospects.