Moving to Romania from Illinois
What to Expect
Considering a move from Illinois to Romania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Illinois to Romania, you would find that Romania is 37.5% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly RON217,254 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?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Illinois and Romania.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → RON217,254
To maintain the same standard of living in Romania
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 26.2% less
Groceries
pay 39.0% less
Transportation
pay 14.5% less
Housing
pay 63.8% less
Childcare
pay 66.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.4% less
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 36% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Illinois to Romania.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Romania compared to Illinois.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Romania performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois performs better than Romania across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois performs better than Romania across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Illinois performs better than Romania across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
National Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Romania
Visa Free
Romania passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 Illinois?
On average Romania is about 36% less expensive than Illinois, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Romania?
Budget about RON54,314 for 3 months in Romania (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Romania?
From major Romania cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Romania are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Romania compared to Illinois?
Romania performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Romania compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Romania?
The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Illinois, the official language is English.
