Moving to Turkmenistan from Botswana

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Botswana to Turkmenistan — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Botswana to Turkmenistan, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian and Turkmen. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ashgabat averages 74°F vs 83°F in Gaborone, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Botswana and Turkmenistan stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
10.6
TM
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
TM
8.0

Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BW
$1,310
TM
$1,264
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
TM
21.4

Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BW
55.0
TM
87.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
TM
10.9t

Botswana performs better than Turkmenistan across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
4.2
TM
5.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
TM
135.2%

Botswana generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkmenistan leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BW
23.4%
TM
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
TM
$14,700

Turkmenistan generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BW
65.6 yrs
TM
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
TM
37.6

Botswana generally does better on family life, though Turkmenistan leads in life expectancy.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Gaborone Rain: 21.7 in/yr (552 mm)
83° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ashgabat Rain: 8.9 in/yr (227 mm)
74° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Ashgabat
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 51°/34°F (11°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 86°/61°F (30°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 96°/68°F (35°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 62°/40°F (17°/5°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Ashgabat
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana and Turkmenistan. To live, work, or study long-term in Turkmenistan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Turkmenistan's immigration authority.

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

Visa Required
Botswana passport holders need a visa to enter Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Turkmenistan passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Botswana.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Turkmenistan?

With 5.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Turkmenistan can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Botswana and Turkmenistan.

Is Turkmenistan safe for expats?

Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkmenistan is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Turkmenistan compared to Botswana?

Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 21.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkmenistan, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Turkmenistan scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

What's the weather like in Turkmenistan compared to Botswana?

The average high temperature in Ashgabat is 74°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Ashgabat receives around 8.9 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Turkmenistan?

The official languages in Turkmenistan are Russian and Turkmen. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW TM
Population 2,384,246 5,636,011
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Turkmenistani Manat (TMT)
Languages English, Tswana Russian, Turkmen
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +267 +993
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999