Moving to South Korea from Turkmenistan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkmenistan to South Korea, and you’d need to navigate life in Korean. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Seoul averages 63°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 South Korea, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
474 ↑ 155% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to South Korea?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Turkmenistan and South Korea 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
KR
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TM
8.0
KR
6.9

South Korea performs significantly better than Turkmenistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

TM
$1,264
KR
$5,081
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TM
21.4
KR
25.2

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkmenistan 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

TM
87.0
KR
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TM
10.9t
KR
11.4t

Turkmenistan generally does better on environment, though South Korea leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TM
5.9
KR
45.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TM
135.2%
KR
85.2%

South Korea 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%
KR
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TM
$14,700
KR
$50,600

South Korea 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
KR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TM
37.6
KR
2.9

South Korea 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

Seoul Rain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ashgabat Seoul
Jan–Mar 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) 73°/56°F (23°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) 83°/70°F (28°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) 54°/38°F (12°/4°C)
View all months
Month Ashgabat Seoul
Jan 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C)
Feb 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C)
May 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C)
Jun 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C)
Jul 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C)
Aug 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C)
Sep 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C)
Oct 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C)
Nov 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C)
Dec 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C)

Data: Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting South Korea

Visa Required
Turkmenistan passport holders need a visa to enter South Korea.
South Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

Visa Required
South Korea 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 South Korea?

With 45.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Korea 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 South Korea.

Is South Korea safe for expats?

South Korea performs significantly better than Turkmenistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Korea is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Turkmenistan.

How is healthcare in South Korea compared to Turkmenistan?

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkmenistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in South Korea, compared to 21.4 in Turkmenistan. South Korea scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkmenistan: 75).

What's the weather like in South Korea compared to Turkmenistan?

The average high temperature in Seoul is 63°F, compared to 74°F in Ashgabat. Seoul receives around 55.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ashgabat gets 8.9 in.

What language do they speak in South Korea?

The official language in South Korea is Korean. In Turkmenistan, the official languages are Russian and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

TM KR
Population 5,636,011 51,844,834
Currency Turkmenistani Manat (TMT) South Korean Won (₩)
Languages Russian, Turkmen Korean
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +993 +82
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112