Moving to Romania from Germany

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Germany to Romania, you would find that Romania is 38.1% cheaper than Germany overall. A €65,577 salary in Germany would need to be roughly RON213,234 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 Germany to Romania.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 RON213,234

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 40.3% less

Groceries

pay 37.3% less

Transportation

pay 42.8% less

Housing

pay 62.4% less

Childcare

pay 23.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 35.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 5.23 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 34% less than cities in Germany.

Germany

Munich 66%
Frankfurt 63%
Hamburg 63%
Oldenburg 55%

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 Germany to Romania, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
30,498 ↑ 365% vs 2015

people born in Germany 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 Germany and Romania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

DE
0.8
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DE
3.3
RO
9.6

Germany performs better than Romania across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

DE
$8,826
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

DE
45.2
RO
34.7

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DE
6.9t
RO
3.7t

Germany 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

DE
45.0
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DE
35.4%
RO
7.4%

Germany 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

DE
3.0%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$61,900
RO
$40,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DE
81.5 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DE
3.2
RO
5.8

Germany performs better than Romania across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Central Tax Office (BZSt), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Berlin Bucharest
Jan–Mar 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Berlin Bucharest
Jan 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Germany 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.

Germany passport

Germany passport holder visiting Romania

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

Romania passport holder visiting Germany

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Germany 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 Germany?

Generally yes: Romania runs about 38% cheaper than Germany 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 €65,577 comparable salary, that's around RON53,308 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 Germany and Romania.

Is Romania safe for expats?

Germany performs better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Germany.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Germany?

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 45.2 in Germany. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Germany: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 56°F in Berlin. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Berlin gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Germany, the official language is German.

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At a Glance

DE RO
Population 84,316,622 18,519,899
Currency Euro (€) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages German Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +49 +40
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112