Moving to Romania from Ireland

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Ireland to Romania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Ireland to Romania, you would find that Romania is 38.9% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €65,577 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly RON178,937 in Romania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Ireland and Romania.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 RON178,937

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 29.2% less

Groceries

pay 38.2% less

Transportation

pay 51.2% less

Housing

pay 67.4% less

Childcare

pay 19.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 51.6% 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 42% less than cities in Ireland.

Ireland

Athlone 66%
Sligo 63%

Romania

Baia Mare 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Ireland to Romania.

Living there in 2020
3,769 ↑ 474% vs 2015

people born in Ireland 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

The numbers behind daily life in Romania compared to Ireland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IE
0.9
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IE
2.8
RO
9.6

Ireland 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

IE
$8,772
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

IE
40.6
RO
34.7

Ireland 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

IE
13.0
RO
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
RO
3.7t

Ireland 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

IE
32.1
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
22.2%
RO
7.4%

Ireland generally does better on infrastructure, though Romania leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IE
4.3%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$115,600
RO
$40,500

Ireland 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

IE
81.7 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.5
RO
5.8

Ireland generally does better on family life, though Romania leads in education spending.

Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dublin Rain: 29.8 in/yr (758 mm)
56° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin Bucharest
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Dublin Bucharest
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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.

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Romania

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

Romania passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Ireland 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 Ireland?

On average Romania is about 48% less expensive than Ireland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Romania?

Budget about RON44,734 for 3 months in Romania (based on a €65,577 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Romania?

Connectivity is usually fine (Romania: 32.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Romania offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Romania safe for expats?

Ireland performs better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Ireland?

Ireland 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 40.6 in Ireland. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

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At a Glance

IE RO
Population 5,275,004 18,519,899
Currency Euro (€) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages English, Irish Romanian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +353 +40
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112