Moving to Turkmenistan from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Turkmenistan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Turkmenistan, and you’d need to navigate life in Russian and Turkmen. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ashgabat averages 74°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Turkmenistan compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Turkmenistan leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkmenistan leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkmenistan leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Saudi Arabia generally does better on family life, though Turkmenistan leads in literacy rate.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Riyadh | Ashgabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Ashgabat |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) |
National Center for MeteorologyVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Turkmenistan
Visa Required
Turkmenistan passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Turkmenistan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Turkmenistan: 5.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Turkmenistan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Turkmenistan safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Turkmenistan leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Turkmenistan is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Turkmenistan compared to Saudi Arabia?
Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 21.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkmenistan, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Turkmenistan scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Turkmenistan compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Ashgabat is 74°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Ashgabat receives around 8.9 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Turkmenistan?
The official languages in Turkmenistan are Russian and Turkmen. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
