Moving to New Zealand from Turkmenistan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkmenistan to New Zealand, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°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 New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2018
3

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

Who's moving to New Zealand?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

TM
8.0
NZ
6.6

Turkmenistan generally does better on safety, though New Zealand 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
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

TM
21.4
NZ
35.7

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand 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
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TM
10.9t
NZ
6.0t

New Zealand 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
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TM
135.2%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand 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%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TM
$14,700
NZ
$48,800

New Zealand performs significantly better than Turkmenistan 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
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TM
37.6
NZ
3.4

New Zealand 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

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ashgabat Wellington
Jan–Mar 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Ashgabat Wellington
Jan 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

Data: New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Turkmenistan passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

Visa Required
New Zealand 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 New Zealand?

With 35.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, New Zealand 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 New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 21.4 in Turkmenistan. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkmenistan: 75).

What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Turkmenistan?

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 74°F in Ashgabat. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Ashgabat gets 8.9 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Turkmenistan, the official languages are Russian and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

TM NZ
Population 5,636,011 5,053,004
Currency Turkmenistani Manat (TMT) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages Russian, Turkmen English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +993 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 111