Moving to Romania from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Romania — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Romania, you would find that Romania is 30.9% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly RON243,954 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 Iowa to Romania.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → RON243,954
To maintain the same standard of living in Romania
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 24.5% less
Groceries
pay 34.2% less
Transportation
pay 1.1% more
Housing
pay 57.0% less
Childcare
pay 56.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.0% 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 29% less than cities in Iowa.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Romania
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iowa to Romania, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Romania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Romania performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa 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
Iowa performs better than Romania across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa 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 | Des Moines | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°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 Iowa?
Generally yes: Romania runs about 28% cheaper than Iowa 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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around RON60,988 in Romania for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Romania?
Working remotely from Romania's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Iowa and Romania.
How is healthcare in Romania compared to Iowa?
Romania performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Romania compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Romania?
The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Iowa, the official language is English.
