Moving to Romania from France

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from France to Romania — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from France to Romania, you would find that Romania is 37.1% cheaper than France overall. A €65,700 salary in France would need to be roughly RON214,910 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 ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from France to Romania.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 RON214,910

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 32.7% less

Groceries

pay 42.9% less

Transportation

pay 42.3% less

Housing

pay 51.4% less

Childcare

pay 28.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 39.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 5.24 RON (July 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.

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 29% less than cities in France.

France

Paris 69%
Antibes 66%
Annecy 61%
Nantes 56%

Romania

Baia Mare 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from France to Romania, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
21,756 ↑ 236% vs 2015

people born in France 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

How France and Romania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

FR
1.6
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FR
4.7
RO
9.6

France generally does better on safety, though Romania leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

FR
$6,868
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

FR
33.4
RO
34.7

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France 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

FR
10.0
RO
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FR
4.0t
RO
3.7t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

FR
49.4
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FR
21.6%
RO
7.4%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FR
7.3%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FR
$55,200
RO
$40,500

France generally does better on employment & economy, though Romania leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FR
82.6 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FR
3.1
RO
5.8

France performs better than Romania across all family life metrics.

Data: Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Paris Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
60° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Paris Bucharest
Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Paris Bucharest
Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Météo-France Météo-France, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between France 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.

France passport

France passport holder visiting Romania

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

Romania passport holder visiting France

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter France 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 France?

Generally yes: Romania runs about 38% cheaper than France on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Romania?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around RON53,728 in Romania for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Romania?

With 32.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Romania can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in France and Romania.

Is Romania safe for expats?

France generally does better on safety, though Romania leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in France.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to France?

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in health coverage index. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 33.4 in France. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In France, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

FR RO
Population 68,305,148 18,519,899
Currency Euro (€) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages French Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +33 +40
Time zones 14 1
Emergency number 112 112