An Expat Talks about Moving to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Ashgabat

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

English Books - Ebooks etc, Movies, Games

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Traveling Mailbox serves thousands of travelers, expats, digital nomads, businesses, individuals and others in over 47 Countries by scanning their postal mail so they can view it online anywhere in the world. They provide customer service 7 days a week so if you need assistance, it is just a phone call away. Traveling Mailbox works with Evernote, Bill.com and Dropbox. And, there are Traveling Mailbox apps available for iOS and Android devices.
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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

You will visit dozens of homes before finding one. You will rarely find something that you are used to if you are from the west. You will want to run out of some before even reaching the front door.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

In a low rise apartment building with the locals. It's typical for non-diplomatic expats. 90% are ugly, old and tackily decorated..the stairwells of buildings ..nightmare

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

An agent found it for us which is typical.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

They are cheaper than where I am from, but for the quality you get here and what the allowances the companies give for housing based on it being Turkmenistan, the rent is expensive. One bedroom can be between US 300-700/month. US 300-450 priced apartments are very dodgy looking.