Moving to Romania from Belgium

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Belgium to Romania — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Belgium to Romania, you would find that Romania is 50.0% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €67,000 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly RON178,000 in Romania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Romania cheaper than Belgium?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 48.2% less

Groceries

pay 43.6% less

Transportation

pay 36.2% less

Housing

pay 61.7% less

Childcare

pay 59.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 39.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Romania?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → RON178,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Romania cost about 35% less than cities in Belgium.

Belgium

Brugge 56%
Hasselt 55%
Mons 53%
Charleroi 52%

Romania

Brasov 39%
Timisoara 37%
Bacau 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Romania

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Belgium to Romania, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
4,593 ↑ 317% vs 2015

people born in Belgium live in Romania · UN DESA

Who's moving to Romania?

Top countries of origin for Romania's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Belgium to Romania.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
RO
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BE
4.6
RO
9.6

Belgium performs better than Romania across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
35.7
RO
36.2

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
RO
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
RO
3.7t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Romania leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
44.2
RO
35.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
52.8%
RO
7.6%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Romania leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.9%
RO
6.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$60,750
RO
$22,538

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Romania leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BE
82.3 yrs
RO
76.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.1
RO
6.0

Belgium performs better than Romania across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Romania vs Belgium

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bucharest Rain: 23.4 in/yr (594 mm)
63° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Bucharest
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Bucharest
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Can you move from Belgium to Romania?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Romania. To live, work, or study long-term in Romania, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Romania's immigration authority.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Romania without a visa.
Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Romania than Belgium?

Yes — Romania is on average about 50% cheaper than Belgium. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Romania?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RON44,500 in Romania on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Romania?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Romania has 35.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Romania safe for expats?

Belgium performs better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Belgium?

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in health coverage index. There are 36.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 35.7 in Belgium. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

What's the weather like in Romania compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

Share this

At a Glance

BE RO
Population 11,941,781 19,020,271
Currency Euro (€) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages Dutch, French, German Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +40
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112