Moving to Turkmenistan from Sri Lanka

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Sri Lanka to Turkmenistan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Sri Lanka 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 87°F in Colombo, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sri Lanka to Turkmenistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

LK
3.4
TM
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
TM
8.0

Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LK
$507
TM
$1,264
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
TM
21.4

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

LK
37.0
TM
87.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
TM
10.9t

Sri Lanka 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

LK
10.1
TM
5.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
TM
135.2%

Sri Lanka generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkmenistan leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
TM
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
TM
$14,700

Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

LK
77.5 yrs
TM
71.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
TM
37.6

Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Turkmenistan leads in education spending.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Ashgabat
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 51°/34°F (11°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 86°/61°F (30°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 96°/68°F (35°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 62°/40°F (17°/5°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Ashgabat
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

Visa Required
Sri Lanka passport holders need a visa to enter Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Turkmenistan passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Turkmenistan has 5.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Turkmenistan safe for expats?

Turkmenistan performs significantly better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Turkmenistan is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Turkmenistan compared to Sri Lanka?

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 21.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Turkmenistan, compared to 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Turkmenistan scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

What's the weather like in Turkmenistan compared to Sri Lanka?

The average high temperature in Ashgabat is 74°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Ashgabat receives around 8.9 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 in.

What language do they speak in Turkmenistan?

The official languages in Turkmenistan are Russian and Turkmen. In Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK TM
Population 23,187,516 5,636,011
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Turkmenistani Manat (TMT)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Russian, Turkmen
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +94 +993
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119