Moving to Sri Lanka from Turkmenistan

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkmenistan to Sri Lanka, and you’d need to navigate life in Sinhala and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Colombo averages 87°F vs 74°F in Ashgabat, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

TM
1.1
LK
3.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TM
8.0
LK
11.5

Turkmenistan performs better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TM
$1,264
LK
$507
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TM
21.4
LK
11.9

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka 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
LK
37.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TM
10.9t
LK
1.1t

Sri Lanka 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
LK
10.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TM
135.2%
LK
90.8%

Sri Lanka generally does better on infrastructure, though Turkmenistan leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TM
4.1%
LK
6.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TM
$14,700
LK
$13,000

Turkmenistan performs better than Sri Lanka 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
LK
77.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TM
37.6
LK
8.2

Turkmenistan generally does better on family life, though Sri Lanka leads in life expectancy.

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

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ashgabat Colombo
Jan–Mar 51°/34°F (11°/1°C) 88°/73°F (31°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) 88°/77°F (31°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/68°F (35°/20°C) 86°/77°F (30°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/40°F (17°/5°C) 86°/74°F (30°/23°C)
View all months
Month Ashgabat Colombo
Jan 45°/29°F (7.4°/-1.6°C) 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C)
Feb 49°/32°F (9.6°/-0.2°C) 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C)
Mar 60°/41°F (15.6°/4.9°C) 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.1°/11.1°C) 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C)
May 86°/61°F (30.0°/16.2°C) 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C)
Jun 96°/69°F (35.7°/20.7°C) 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C)
Jul 101°/74°F (38.2°/23.1°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C)
Aug 98°/69°F (36.6°/20.5°C) 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C)
Sep 89°/60°F (31.5°/15.4°C) 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C)
Oct 74°/48°F (23.2°/9.1°C) 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C)
Nov 62°/40°F (16.6°/4.6°C) 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C)
Dec 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.7°C) 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Turkmenistan passport

Turkmenistan passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Turkmenistan passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Turkmenistan

Visa Required
Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka?

With 10.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka.

Is Sri Lanka safe for expats?

Turkmenistan performs better than Sri Lanka across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sri Lanka is 3.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Turkmenistan.

How is healthcare in Sri Lanka compared to Turkmenistan?

Turkmenistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sri Lanka leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 11.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sri Lanka, compared to 21.4 in Turkmenistan. Sri Lanka scores 67 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkmenistan: 75).

What's the weather like in Sri Lanka compared to Turkmenistan?

The average high temperature in Colombo is 87°F, compared to 74°F in Ashgabat. Colombo receives around 99.4 in of rainfall per year, while Ashgabat gets 8.9 in.

What language do they speak in Sri Lanka?

The official languages in Sri Lanka are Sinhala and Tamil. In Turkmenistan, the official languages are Russian and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

TM LK
Population 5,636,011 23,187,516
Currency Turkmenistani Manat (TMT) Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Languages Russian, Turkmen Sinhala, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +993 +94
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119