Moving to Iceland from Turkmenistan

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkmenistan to Iceland, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°F vs 74°F in Ashgabat, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Turkmenistan to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1

people moved from Turkmenistan to Iceland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Iceland?

Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TM
1.1
IS
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TM
8.0
IS
2.4

Turkmenistan generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

TM
$1,264
IS
$6,927
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TM
21.4
IS
45.2

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland 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
IS
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TM
10.9t
IS
8.5t

Iceland 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
IS
38.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TM
135.2%
IS
0.4%

Iceland performs significantly better than Turkmenistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TM
4.1%
IS
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TM
$14,700
IS
$66,500

Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkmenistan leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TM
71.8 yrs
IS
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TM
37.6
IS
1.6

Iceland performs significantly better than Turkmenistan across all family life metrics.

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

Reykjavik Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
45° / 35°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ashgabat Reykjavik
Jan–Mar 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) 48°/38°F (9°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) 54°/45°F (12°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Ashgabat Reykjavik
Jan 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C)
Feb 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C)
May 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C)
Jun 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C)
Jul 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C)
Aug 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C)
Sep 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C)
Oct 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C)
Nov 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C)
Dec 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting Iceland

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

Iceland passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

Visa Required
Iceland 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 Iceland?

With 38.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iceland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Turkmenistan and Iceland.

Is Iceland safe for expats?

Turkmenistan generally does better on safety, though Iceland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Turkmenistan.

How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 21.4 in Turkmenistan. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkmenistan: 75).

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

The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 74°F in Ashgabat. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Ashgabat gets 8.9 in.

What language do they speak in Iceland?

The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Turkmenistan, the official languages are Russian and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

TM IS
Population 5,636,011 357,603
Currency Turkmenistani Manat (TMT) Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Languages Russian, Turkmen Icelandic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +993 +354
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112