Overview At a Glance Cost of Living Safety Cities Healthcare Environment FAQ Before You Go

Romania🇷🇴

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At a Glance

How Romania compares across key indices

Cost of Living

45 vs NYC

100 = NYC

Safety Index

88/100

Healthcare

63/100

Quality of Life

167/200

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Cost of Living

How far your money goes in Romania

Cost of Living

100 = NYC baseline

Rent Index

100 = NYC rent

Groceries

100 = NYC groceries

Restaurant Prices

100 = NYC dining

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Compare Romania

Side-by-side comparison with another country

Safety & Crime

Low Risk

How safe residents feel in Romania - based on surveys of people living there

Safety Index

88/100

Crime Index

4/100

Lower is better

Walking Safety

Daytime100

Nighttime100

0 point drop from day to night

Cities in Romania

Romania has 134 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $898 in Tulcea to $1,174 in Bucharest. Târgovişte leads on safety, scoring 91/100. Târgovişte ranks highest for quality of life at 172/200.

💸Most Affordable

Tulcea

$898/mo

Safest

Târgovişte

91/100

Best Quality of Life

Târgovişte

172/200

Best Healthcare

Bucharest

76/100

City filter

Featured

Curated and popular cities first.

40 of 134 shown

City	Monthly Cost	Safety	Quality of Life	Healthcare	Pollution
Bucharest	$1,174	82/100	168/200	76/100	39
Sector 3	$982	87/100	170/200	66/100	30
Iaşi	$981	87/100	170/200	66/100	30
Sector 6	$979	87/100	170/200	65/100	30
Constanţa	$972	88/100	171/200	65/100	29
Sector 2	$968	88/100	171/200	65/100	29
Sector 4	$968	88/100	171/200	65/100	29
Cluj-Napoca	$967	88/100	171/200	65/100	29
Sector 5	$965	88/100	171/200	64/100	28
Braşov	$961	88/100	171/200	64/100	28
Timişoara	$961	88/100	171/200	64/100	28
Craiova	$958	88/100	171/200	64/100	28
Sector 1	$956	88/100	171/200	64/100	28
Galaţi	$954	89/100	171/200	64/100	28
Târgu Mureş	$953	89/100	171/200	64/100	27
Oradea	$947	89/100	171/200	63/100	27
Ploieşti	$946	89/100	171/200	63/100	27
Arad	$943	89/100	171/200	63/100	27
Brăila	$939	89/100	171/200	63/100	26
Piteşti	$935	89/100	171/200	62/100	26
Bacău	$933	90/100	171/200	62/100	26
Sibiu	$932	90/100	171/200	62/100	26
Satu Mare	$924	90/100	172/200	62/100	25
Baia Mare	$922	90/100	172/200	61/100	25
Buzău	$920	90/100	172/200	61/100	25
Piatra Neamţ	$919	90/100	172/200	61/100	25
Râmnicu Vâlcea	$915	90/100	172/200	61/100	24
Botoşani	$913	90/100	172/200	61/100	24
Suceava	$910	91/100	172/200	61/100	24
Reşiţa	$908	91/100	172/200	61/100	24
Drobeta-Turnu Severin	$907	91/100	172/200	60/100	24
Bistriţa	$907	91/100	172/200	60/100	24
Târgu Jiu	$903	91/100	172/200	60/100	23
Hunedoara	$900	91/100	172/200	60/100	23
Roman	$900	91/100	172/200	60/100	23
Bârlad	$900	91/100	172/200	60/100	23
Deva	$900	91/100	172/200	60/100	23
Târgovişte	$899	91/100	172/200	60/100	23
Focșani	$899	91/100	172/200	60/100	23
Tulcea	$898	91/100	172/200	60/100	23

Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.

Compare Cities Side by Side

Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life

Healthcare

Healthcare system overview for Romania

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Environment

Clean

Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Romania

Pollution Index

30/100

Lower is better

PM2.5

14.9ug/m3

Good

Environmental Quality

Air Quality100/100

Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about living in Romania, answered with data

What is the cost of living in Romania?

Romania has a cost of living index of 45 relative to New York City (100). It is moderately affordable compared to the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $919 in Piatra Neamţ and reach $1,174 in Bucharest.

What is the cheapest city in Romania for expats?

Piatra Neamţ is the most affordable city in Romania in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $919 for a single person including rent. Buzău is the next most affordable at $920/mo.

Is Romania safe for expats?

Romania has a safety index of 88/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Buzău scores highest on safety at 90/100.

What is the best city in Romania for expats and digital nomads?

Buzău ranks highest for quality of life in Romania, scoring 172/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $920/mo for a single person. For budget-conscious expats, Piatra Neamţ offers the lowest monthly costs at $919/mo.

How good is healthcare in Romania?

Romania scores 63/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it good by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.

Is Romania cheaper than the United States?

Yes. Romania's cost of living is roughly 55% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 66% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.

What is the air quality and pollution like in Romania?

Romania has a pollution index of 30/100 (lower = cleaner). This is relatively clean by global standards, making it appealing for those prioritising air quality and outdoor lifestyle.

Before You Go

Your pre-departure checklist for Romania

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Cost of living, safety, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates modeled from open public sources. Data sources

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