Moving to Iowa from Turkmenistan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkmenistan to Iowa, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 74°F in Ashgabat, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Turkmenistan to Iowa, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
620 ↓ 29% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Turkmenistan to Iowa.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

TM
18.6%
IA
38.7%

Turkmenistan performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

TM
25.3%
IA
87.9%

Iowa performs significantly better than Turkmenistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

TM
4.1%
IA
3.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

TM
$14,700
IA
$63,747

Iowa 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
IA
77.5 yrs

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

Data: The World Factbook

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

Des Moines Rain: 36.0 in/yr (915 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ashgabat Des Moines
Jan–Mar 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) 72°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C)
View all months
Month Ashgabat Des Moines
Jan 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C)
Feb 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C)
May 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C)
Jun 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C)
Jul 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C)
Aug 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C)
Sep 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C)
Oct 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C)
Nov 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C)
Dec 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Turkmenistan passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

Visa Required
United States 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 Iowa?

Usually fine from major cities in Iowa. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 74°F in Ashgabat. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Ashgabat gets 8.9 in.

What language do they speak in Iowa?

The official language in Iowa is English. In Turkmenistan, the official languages are Russian and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

TM
Population 5,636,011 3,046,355
Currency Turkmenistani Manat (TMT) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Russian, Turkmen English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +993 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 911