Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Turkmenistan instead of Greenland, you would:

Health

be 20.8% less likely to be obese

In Greenland, 28.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, that number is 22.2% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Economy

be 98.8% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Greenland, 16.2% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Turkmenistan, however, that number is 0.2% as of 2012.

View global rankings →

make 88.8% less money

Greenland has a GDP per capita of $58,499 as of 2023, while in Turkmenistan, the GDP per capita is $6,540 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

have 74.2% more children

In Greenland, there are approximately 12.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Turkmenistan, there are 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 3.5 times more likely to die during infancy

In Greenland, approximately 8.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Turkmenistan, on the other hand, 30.4 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 63.6% less likely to have internet access

In Greenland, approximately 69.5% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Turkmenistan, about 25.3% do as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 81.1% less likely to be murdered

Greenland has a homicide rate of 5.3 per 100,000 people as of 2016. In Turkmenistan, that number is 1.0 per 100,000 as of 2015.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 83.7% less home broadband

Greenland has 32.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Turkmenistan has 5.2 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), The World Factbook (2012–2022), World Health Organization (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Greenland vs. Turkmenistan

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Turkmenistan is 10.8% cheaper than Greenland overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Greenland is about 4.4 times bigger than Turkmenistan.
→
Moving from Greenland to Turkmenistan · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
→

Turkmenistan: At a glance

Turkmenistan is a sovereign country in Central Asia, with a total land area of approximately 469,930 sq km. Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim crusaders, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times Merv (today known as Mary) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited, have begun to transform the country. Turkmenistan is moving to expand its extraction and delivery projects. The Government of Turkmenistan is actively working to diversify its gas export routes beyond the still important Russian pipeline network. In 2010, new gas export pipelines that carry Turkmen gas to China and to northern Iran began operating, effectively ending the Russian monopoly on Turkmen gas exports. President for Life Saparmurat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Turkmenistan held its first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007. Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy cabinet chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president; he was chosen as president again in February 2012, in an election that the OSCE said lacked the freedoms necessary to create a competitive environment.
Read more

How big is Turkmenistan compared to Greenland? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Turkmenistan or Greenland. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.