Unfiltered: TikTok Users’ Reality of Housing Challenges in Turkmenistan

An important dialogue emerged after Progres Foundation’s TikTok video, discussing housing access in Turkmenistan, went viral. The post attracted over half a million views and hundreds of comments sharing personal experiences. Of the 886 comments analysed, most focused on recurring issues: the lack of transparency in housing allocation, long waiting periods, affordability concerns, overcrowding, and housing insecurity among vulnerable groups, including single mothers and persons with disabilities.

Adequate housing is a fundamental human right recognized by the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) to which Turkmenistan is a state party. Article 11 of the Covenant describes “adequate housing” as more than merely having a roof over one’s head. It includes security of tenure, availability of services, affordability, habitability, accessibility, location, and cultural adequacy. While Turkmenistan is obligated to uphold this right, it remains widely inaccessible, leaving many citizens struggling to secure even basic housing.

The most liked comments on TikTok reflected these concerns:

• 887 likes: “Allajan, kwartirant bolup ýaşaýanlara-da jaý almak nesip etsin” (May God grant a home to those living as tenants);
• 163 likes: “Jaýy arzuw ediwem ýadadyk” (We are tired of dreaming of having a home);
• 90 likes:“Diňleýän ýoga” (No one is listening to us);
• 73 likes: “30 ýyllyk kredit jaýlary wagtynda tabşyrsalar-da, jaýly bolýarys, şonam tabşyranoklara. 2023-nji ýylda açylmaly jaý häzirem, 2026-njy ýylda-da taýyn däl. Kontrol ýok” (Housing expected to be completed in 2023 still had not been delivered by 2026);
• 60 likes: “Hany 15 ýyl bolşy bizde bir otagly jaýam ýok” (Even a one-room apartment remained unattainable in 15 years).

Analysis of the comment section identified five key public concerns:

1. Long Waiting Times: Many users reported waiting 10 to 30 years without response, with repeated visits to local authorities yielding no progress or updates on their queue position. (“Men 15 ýyl bäri jaý üçin arza berýärin. Her ýyl baranymda, ‘nobatyň entek gelmedi’ diýip goýberýärler. Ahal welaýatynyň Ak bugdaý etraby”).
2. Overcrowded Living Conditions: Several comments mentioned situations in which two or three families share a house because they could not afford independent housing. For example, one comment reported 12 people living in a 32-square-meter apartment, while another described 12 people residing in a space registered for six in a 17m² apartment (“Allajan, iki gelin, 6 agtygym, 12 adam bolup 32 kvadrat metr jaýda ýaşaýarys, bize-de Alladan jaý nesip etsin”; “Men hiç hili jaýymy giňeldip bilemok. 17 kvadrat metr jaýda 6 adam ýazgyda, emma biz 12 adam ýaşaýarys. 2016-njy ýyldan bäri nobatda durýaryn, ýöne hiç hili jogap ýok”).
3. High Costs vs. Low Income: Several users reported that an average salary of approximately 2,000 manat per month is insufficient to purchase or build housing, despite years of saving (Bir edarada 12 ýyl işleyen in az aylyk 2000 manat alyan gündelik işde 60 mana gazede tolemeli 25 mana tebigaty goramaly ütüp yolup alyalar; “40 ýyl lukmançylykda işledim, ýöne hiç zat görmedim”).
4. Lack of Priority for Vulnerable Groups: Mothers, single parents, young couples, and families with children with disabilities frequently reported long-term reliance on rental housing and lack of priority access to housing support despite their difficult situation (menem enwalit çagam bar haçanky arza atanym berelinok).
5. Lack of Trust in Allocation: Numerous comments expressed concerns regarding bribery, unequal access, and lack of transparency, with perceptions that wealthier families receive housing more easily, while others described uncertainty surrounding the official State Housing Stock procedures (bermelisini bermeseň mellek alyp bilenok gyzym 6 ýyl boldy arasyna).

These concerns expressed by TikTok respondents can be analysed through the lens of the Housing Code of Turkmenistan, which sets the legal conditions for the constitutional right to housing. State housing is allocated in Turkmenistan based on:

• registration on the official waiting list;
• priority established by law;
• availability of suitable housing (Art 41).

To qualify, citizens must be officially recognized as in need of improved housing conditions, such as inadequate housing, overcrowding, unsafe living conditions, or specific medical circumstances (Art 64-66). Extraordinary priority is granted to groups such as war veterans, persons with disabilities, large families, orphans, and other socially protected groups (Art 68–69). Registration is handled by the local executive authority (häkimlik) or the local Council (Geňeş) at the applicant’s place of permanent residence (Art 66).

Despite these legal guarantees, 25.6% of TikTok users interpreted the housing problem through cultural and religious language, expressing hope that God would help them obtain housing (Hudaý ýetirsin bize, Amin, etc [May God bless us with it, Amen]) than confidence in administrative procedures. Lastly, a few comments expressedsupport for the president andhope that he would provide housing solutions in the future.

These findings are further supported by the 2025 Report on the Activities of the Ombudsperson of Turkmenistan, which identified housing as the primary concern of citizens. Of 676 complaints received by the Ombudsperson, 16.4% concerned housing rights. Regional concerns were particularly high in Mary (37.5%), Balkan (28%), and Lebap (22.5%).

Housing affordability is equally stark. A Progres Foundation study revealed that the average price of a one-room apartment in the capital is equivalent to roughly 59 years of minimum-wage income or 28 years of average salary income. For a two-room apartment, this rises to 75 years of minimum-wage income or 36 years of average salary.

While the official 2022 Population and Housing Census indicates growth in housing stock and an average of 23.8 m² of floor space per person, which exceeds the threshold of 9 m² per person set in the Housing Code, significant regional disparities and infrastructure gaps exist. For example, a much lower per-person average floor space of residential premises in Mary at 20.7 m² and Ahal at 20.6 m² compared to Dashoguz at 28.3 m². Only 34.1% of households have centralized drinking water, while 26.8% rely on deliveries and 12.3% on wells. Rural households face an even greater deficit: centralized heating, hot water, and sewerage systems are virtually non-existent. Nearly 1.9 million people lack internet access at their residential premises.These findings reveal that adequate housing should be assessed not only by the quantity of available housing stock but also by access to reliable drinking water, sanitation, heating, and digital connectivity, all of which contribute to people’s health, well-being and quality of life and comprise modern housing policy.

In conclusion, housing remains a major social issue in Turkmenistan that requires the government’s urgent attention and prioritization. Despite President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s inaugural pledge on 19 March 2022 to provide every family with modern housing, there is limited public information on housing needs or the effectiveness of national programs. Although the Housing Code establishes a legal framework for allocating state housing, access in practice remains constrained. Together, official reports and the lived realities of TikTok users highlight that, despite the ongoing nationwide expansion of housing construction reported in state media, access to housing, housing conditions, and housing administration remain inadequate and unaffordable for the majority of the population. Overall, these findings suggest the need for a more transparent and accountable housing allocation mechanism in Turkmenistan to improve living conditions and housing policies that expand access to affordable, modern housing, particularly in rural areas.

Methodological Note: TikTok comments are not statistically representative of the population but provide qualitative evidence of public perceptions and experiences on housing.