Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 🇹🇲
#418
,
Nomad Score:
39%
💰 Cost & Affordability
💸 Cost of Living
61%
Weight: 150
Moderately affordable compared to Western standards but higher than many Central Asian cities due to import reliance.
🏠 Accommodation Cost
54%
Weight: 80
Accommodation is somewhat expensive relative to local incomes; limited options for short-term rentals.
🍎 Food & Groceries
68%
Weight: 40
Local food is affordable, but imported goods and international cuisine are costly and limited.
🚌 Transportation Cost
72%
Weight: 20
Public transport is cheap but limited; taxis are affordable but not widely app-based.
🎟️ Entertainment Cost
43%
Weight: 15
Limited entertainment venues; prices are moderate but options are scarce.
🏋️ Gym Membership Cost
39%
Weight: 10
Few gyms available, often expensive and with limited facilities.
💱 Currency Stability
32%
Weight: 30
Turkmen manat is subject to government controls and occasional volatility.
💻 Digital Nomad Essentials
🚀 Internet Speed
45%
Weight: 100
Internet is slow and heavily censored; limited access to global sites.
👥 Coworking Spaces Availability
11%
Weight: 40
Virtually no coworking spaces catering to digital nomads.
☕ Cafes with WiFi
23%
Weight: 30
Few cafes offer WiFi; connectivity is often unreliable.
💻☕ Digital Nomad Friendly Cafes
10%
Weight: 30
Almost no cafes designed for digital nomads.
🌟 Digital Nomad Popularity
5%
Weight: 100
Very low presence of digital nomads due to visa restrictions and infrastructure.
📱 Local SIM Card Availability
75%
Weight: 25
SIM cards are available but require registration and ID.
🌟 Quality of Life
⚖️ Work-Life Balance
50%
Weight: 30
Work culture is traditional; limited flexibility but low stress lifestyle.
🌳 Environmental Quality
60%
Weight: 15
Generally clean city but air quality can be affected by dust and industrial emissions.
🧼 Cleanliness
75%
Weight: 10
Ashgabat is known for its cleanliness and well-maintained public spaces.
🗨️ Language Barrier
20%
Weight: 30
Turkmen and Russian are dominant; English is rarely spoken outside official circles.
💨 Air Quality
40%
Weight: 15
Air quality fluctuates; dust storms and pollution from industry affect it periodically.
👨👩👧👦 Family Friendly
50%
Weight: 25
Safe environment but limited family-oriented activities.
🏥 Healthcare
🏥 Healthcare Quality
35%
Weight: 20
Healthcare facilities are basic; limited modern medical services.
💉 Healthcare Affordability
60%
Weight: 25
Healthcare is affordable but quality is low, leading many to seek treatment abroad.
🏥 Healthcare
38%
Weight: 20
Limited access to quality healthcare; expatriates often rely on private clinics.
🌿 Climate & Environment
☀️ Weather
78%
Weight: 80
Hot, dry desert climate with long sunny periods; winters are mild but short.
🌪️ Natural Disaster Risk
85%
Weight: 10
Low risk of natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods.
🏞️ Green Spaces
52%
Weight: 10
Some parks and green areas exist but are limited in size and number.
❄️ Air Conditioning
70%
Weight: 15
Most modern buildings and hotels have air conditioning due to hot climate.
🍂 Seasonal Variety
35%
Weight: 10
Limited seasonal changes; mostly hot summers and mild winters.
🔊 Noise Pollution
65%
Weight: 10
Relatively low noise pollution due to city planning and low traffic.
🎭 Culture & Entertainment
🎭 Culture
67%
Weight: 20
Rich Turkmen culture with unique architecture and traditions, but limited cultural events.
🌃 Nightlife
20%
Weight: 15
Very limited nightlife options; alcohol is restricted and venues are scarce.
🏞️ Outdoors & Nature
55%
Weight: 15
Desert landscapes nearby; limited outdoor recreational activities.
🗣️ Language Learning Opportunities
30%
Weight: 10
Few formal language schools; limited opportunities to learn Turkmen or Russian.
🧭 Local Experiences & Tours
58%
Weight: 10
Some guided tours available focusing on local culture and architecture.
🎳 Indoors Fun
37%
Weight: 10
Limited indoor entertainment options such as cinemas or malls.
🍎 Food & Fitness
🍽️ Food Scene
50%
Weight: 25
Traditional Turkmen cuisine dominates; few international dining options.
🧠 Yoga Studios
15%
Weight: 10
Very few or no dedicated yoga studios.
🏋️ Fitness Facilities
30%
Weight: 15
Limited gyms and fitness centers with basic equipment.
🥗 Healthy Food Options
42%
Weight: 15
Fresh produce available but limited variety of health-focused eateries.
💼 Work Environment
🕰️ Time Zone Favorability
60%
Weight: 20
UTC+5, suitable for working with Asia and parts of Europe but less ideal for Americas.
🤝 Networking Opportunities
18%
Weight: 25
Very limited professional networking events for digital nomads.
💻 Remote Job Opportunities
20%
Weight: 20
Local economy not geared towards remote work; limited job market.
🆓 Freelance Ecosystem
15%
Weight: 20
Minimal freelance community or support infrastructure.
🏢 Coworking Quality
8%
Weight: 30
No established coworking spaces; poor facilities for remote work.
📈 Business & Economy
🚀 Startup Scene
10%
Weight: 15
Startup ecosystem is almost non-existent.
💳 Local Payment Services
30%
Weight: 10
Limited digital payment options; cash remains dominant.
🔗 Blockchain & Crypto Adoption
5%
Weight: 15
Very low adoption; government restrictions on cryptocurrencies.
🚆 Transportation
✈️ Airport Connectivity
40%
Weight: 30
Ashgabat International Airport has limited international flights.
🚇 Public Transit
35%
Weight: 20
Limited bus services; no metro system.
🚶 Walkability
50%
Weight: 20
City center is walkable but distances between points of interest can be large.
🚗 Ride-sharing Services
10%
Weight: 15
No major ride-sharing apps; taxis are main option.
🚲 Cycling
20%
Weight: 10
Few cycling lanes; hot climate limits cycling appeal.
🚄 Intercity Travel Options
35%
Weight: 15
Limited train and bus connections to other cities and countries.
🛵 Scooter/Bike Rental Availability
5%
Weight: 10
No scooter or bike rental services.
📡 Connectivity
📱 Mobile Network Coverage
65%
Weight: 20
Good mobile coverage in urban areas but limited 4G/5G speeds.
🔒 VPN Reliability
20%
Weight: 20
VPN use is restricted and often unreliable due to government censorship.
⚡ Power Grid Reliability
60%
Weight: 15
Generally stable power supply with occasional outages.
📶 Public WiFi Availability
20%
Weight: 10
Public WiFi is rare and often slow or censored.
⚖️ Legal & Administrative
🛂 Visa Ease
10%
Weight: 40
Very strict visa policies; difficult for tourists and nomads to obtain long-term visas.
📊 Tax Friendliness
30%
Weight: 30
Tax system is complex and not transparent for foreigners.
🗣️ Freedom of Speech
5%
Weight: 15
Highly restricted; government controls media and expression.
🏛️ Political Stability
60%
Weight: 20
Stable authoritarian regime with low risk of unrest.
🏦 Ease of Opening Bank Account
20%
Weight: 15
Difficult for foreigners; strict documentation and limited services.
📄 Ease of Business Registration
25%
Weight: 10
Bureaucratic and slow process with many restrictions.
📄✈️ Digital Nomad Visa Availability
0%
Weight: 35
No digital nomad visa or similar programs.
🌍 Digital Nomad Community
🌍 Nomad Friendly
8%
Weight: 50
Overall not friendly to digital nomads due to infrastructure and visa issues.
🤝 Nomad Events & Meetups
5%
Weight: 25
No known digital nomad events or meetups.
🌐👥 Online Community Presence
10%
Weight: 20
Very limited online presence or community for nomads in Ashgabat.
🛡️ Safety & Tolerance
🛡️ Safety
70%
Weight: 100
Generally safe with low crime rates but strict law enforcement.
♀️ Female Friendly
30%
Weight: 50
Conservative society; women may face cultural restrictions.
✊ Racial Tolerance
40%
Weight: 50
Moderate tolerance but limited diversity and some ethnic tensions.