Moving to Bhutan from Turkmenistan

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Turkmenistan to Bhutan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Turkmenistan to Bhutan, and you’d need to navigate life in Dzongkha. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Bhutan compared to Turkmenistan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

TM
1.1
BT
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TM
8.0
BT
12.2

Turkmenistan performs better than Bhutan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TM
$1,264
BT
$677
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TM
21.4
BT
5.5

Bhutan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkmenistan leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

TM
87.0
BT
57.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TM
10.9t
BT
2.0t

Bhutan performs significantly 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

TM
5.9
BT
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TM
135.2%
BT
1.4%

Bhutan 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

TM
4.1%
BT
5.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2022

a broad measure of economic output per person

TM
$14,700
BT
$14,000

Turkmenistan performs better than Bhutan across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TM
71.8 yrs
BT
72.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TM
37.6
BT
27.0

Bhutan 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Thimphu Rain: 23.3 in/yr (591 mm)
72° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ashgabat Thimphu
Jan–Mar 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) 63°/33°F (17°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) 76°/53°F (25°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) 68°/39°F (20°/4°C)
View all months
Month Ashgabat Thimphu
Jan 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) 59°/28°F (15.1°/-2.1°C)
Feb 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) 62°/33°F (16.7°/0.5°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) 67°/39°F (19.4°/4.0°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) 72°/46°F (22.4°/7.8°C)
May 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) 76°/53°F (24.7°/11.5°C)
Jun 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) 80°/59°F (26.7°/15.2°C)
Jul 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.4°C)
Aug 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/16.1°C)
Sep 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.6°C)
Oct 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) 74°/48°F (23.4°/9.0°C)
Nov 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) 67°/38°F (19.7°/3.2°C)
Dec 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) 62°/31°F (16.5°/-0.8°C)

Data: National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting Bhutan

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

Bhutan passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Bhutan?

Connectivity is usually fine (Bhutan: 0.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Bhutan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Bhutan safe for expats?

Turkmenistan performs better than Bhutan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Bhutan is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Turkmenistan.

How is healthcare in Bhutan compared to Turkmenistan?

Bhutan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkmenistan leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 5.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Bhutan, compared to 21.4 in Turkmenistan. Bhutan scores 60 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkmenistan: 75).

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

The average high temperature in Thimphu is 72°F, compared to 74°F in Ashgabat. Thimphu receives around 23.3 in of rainfall per year, while Ashgabat gets 8.9 in.

What language do they speak in Bhutan?

The official language in Bhutan is Dzongkha. In Turkmenistan, the official languages are Russian and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

TM BT
Population 5,636,011 867,775
Currency Turkmenistani Manat (TMT) Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN)
Languages Russian, Turkmen Dzongkha
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +993 +975
Time zones 1 1