If you lived in Romania instead of Hungary, you would:

Health

be 41.5% less likely to die by suicide

Hungary has a suicide rate of 16.4 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Romania, it is 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 32.5% more likely to be unemployed

In Hungary, 4.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Romania, that number is 6.0% as of 2025.

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be 52.1% more likely to live below the poverty line

In Hungary, 12.1% live below the poverty line as of 2021. In Romania, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2024.

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make 13.0% less money

Hungary has a GDP per capita of $25,907 as of 2025, while in Romania, the GDP per capita is $22,538 as of 2025.

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Life

be 93.5% more likely to die during infancy

In Hungary, approximately 3.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Romania, on the other hand, 6.0 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 13.7% less on education

Hungary spends 3.8% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Romania spends 3.3% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 10.4% less on healthcare

Hungary spends 6.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Romania, that number is 5.7% of GDP as of 2023.

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Safety

be 54.2% more likely to be murdered

Hungary has a homicide rate of 0.7 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Romania, that number is 1.1 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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be 29.7% more likely to die in a road accident

In Hungary, road accidents kill 7.4 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Romania, they kill 9.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

use 46.3% less electricity

Hungary uses 4,812 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2024. Romania uses 2,585 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 16.6% less CO2

Hungary emits 4.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Romania emits 3.7 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2021). How we calculate this

Romania: At a glance

Romania is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 229,891 sq km. The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they were de facto linked in 1859 and formally united in 1862 under the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and acquired new territories - most notably Transylvania - following the conflict. In 1940, Romania allied with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of a communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power. Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
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