Romania: General Overview
Romania is a Southeastern European country bordered by Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine, with a Black Sea coastline in the southeast. Its capital and largest city is Bucharest, a major regional hub for business, government, and culture. The Carpathian Mountains arc through the country's center, separating Transylvania from the southern and eastern plains.
- Capital: Bucharest
- Population: around 19 million
- Official language: Romanian
- Currency: Romanian Leu (RON), Romania has not yet adopted the euro
- Government: semi-presidential republic
- EU membership: joined the European Union in 2007
Romania is part of the Schengen Area for air and sea travel, with land border checks being phased out. Its economy leans on automotive manufacturing, IT and outsourcing services, energy, and agriculture, and it has one of the fastest-growing tech sectors in the region.
Cost of Living
Romania is one of the more affordable EU countries to live in, though Bucharest costs noticeably more than smaller cities like Cluj-Napoca or Iasi. A single person in Bucharest typically needs somewhere around $1,300 to $1,400 a month including rent, to live comfortably, or roughly $700 to $750 a month excluding rent.
- 1-bedroom rent, central Bucharest: approximately $600 to $700 a month
- 1-bedroom rent, outer districts: approximately $400 to $500 a month
- Groceries and utilities (1 person): utilities for a typical apartment run roughly $200 a month, with groceries adding a comparable amount on top
- Public transport pass: around $20 a month
Overall, Bucharest remains considerably cheaper than Western European capitals such as Paris, Vienna, or Berlin, and cheaper still than many neighboring Central European cities.
Places to Visit
- Bran Castle: the medieval fortress near Brasov popularly associated with the Dracula legend
- Peles Castle: a lavish 19th-century Neo-Renaissance royal palace in the Carpathian Mountains near Sinaia
- Sighisoara: a UNESCO-listed medieval citadel and one of the best-preserved fortified towns in Europe
- Palace of the Parliament: in Bucharest, one of the largest administrative buildings in the world
- Painted Monasteries of Bucovina: UNESCO World Heritage churches famous for their exterior frescoes
- Danube Delta: a UNESCO-listed wetland and one of Europe's largest and best-preserved river deltas
- Brasov's Old Town: a well-preserved Saxon town center at the base of the Carpathians
Universities & Education
Romania has a long university tradition and is an increasingly popular, low-cost destination for international students, particularly in medicine, engineering, and computer science.
- University of Bucharest: founded in 1864, one of Romania's oldest and most prestigious universities, strong in social sciences, linguistics, and law
- Babes-Bolyai University (Cluj-Napoca): Romania's largest university, with more than 41,000 students and instruction offered in Romanian, Hungarian, German, English, and French
- Politehnica University of Bucharest: the country's leading technical university, focused on engineering, IT, and applied sciences
- Alexandru Ioan Cuza University (Iasi): one of Romania's oldest universities, well regarded in law, economics, and the humanities
Residence & Visas
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens have freedom of movement in Romania and do not need a visa. If staying longer than 90 days, they need to register their residence with the local immigration office.
Non-EU citizens generally apply for a long-stay visa (visa type D) at a Romanian embassy or consulate before arrival, then apply for a temporary residence permit through the General Inspectorate for Immigration once in Romania. Typical requirements include proof of sufficient funds, health insurance, a clean criminal record, and confirmed accommodation.
- Permanent residence: generally requires at least 5 years of continuous, legal prior residence, along with a satisfactory level of Romanian language
- EU long-term resident status: also available after at least 5 years of legal residence under EU rules
- Faster routes: family members of Romanian citizens and certain investors or major job creators may qualify under separate, less restrictive conditions
Immigration rules change and individual circumstances vary. Treat this as a starting point, not legal advice, and confirm current requirements with an official source before making decisions.
Getting a Job
- Minimum wage: RON 4,050 a month gross in the first half of 2026, rising to RON 4,325 (around €795) from July 2026
- Average salary: gross monthly average is around RON 7,200 (roughly €1,440)
- Unemployment rate: moderate, around 6 percent in early 2026
- Income tax: a flat 10 percent on most personal income, one of the lowest in the EU
Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca are the main hubs for English-speaking work, with a large and growing IT, software outsourcing, and business services sector alongside automotive manufacturing (Dacia, Ford) and energy. Software development and customer support roles for multinational companies are consistently in demand.
Healthcare
Romania runs a social-insurance-based public healthcare system administered by the National Health Insurance House (CNAS), which coordinates a network of regional health insurance houses across the country.
- EU, EEA, and Swiss visitors: can use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) at CNAS-contracted public facilities, though it is not accepted at private clinics such as MedLife, Regina Maria, or Sanador
- Mandatory coverage: health insurance contributions are compulsory for employees and are usually deducted automatically from salaries; self-employed and non-working residents must contribute separately
- Emergency care: available to everyone regardless of insurance status, even before CNAS registration
- Private healthcare: a large and popular sector, often used alongside or instead of the public system for faster appointments and more choice of specialists
