Moving to Romania from Italy

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Italy to Romania — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Italy to Romania, you would find that Romania is 29.1% cheaper than Italy overall. A €65,577 salary in Italy would need to be roughly RON228,719 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?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Italy to Romania.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 RON228,719

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 24.2% less

Groceries

pay 39.2% less

Transportation

pay 38.4% less

Housing

pay 49.3% less

Childcare

pay 11.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 21.2% 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 28% less than cities in Italy.

Italy

Milan 69%
Varese 59%
Venice 59%
Monza 59%
Rome 57%

Romania

Baia Mare 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Italy to Romania, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
79,752 ↑ 107% vs 2015

people born in Italy 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Italy to Romania.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IT
0.6
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IT
5.0
RO
9.6

Italy 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

IT
$4,993
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IT
42.5
RO
34.7

Italy 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IT
5.1t
RO
3.7t

Italy 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

IT
31.5
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IT
29.6%
RO
7.4%

Romania generally does better on infrastructure, though Italy leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IT
7.6%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IT
$52,700
RO
$40,500

Italy 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

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IT
3.2
RO
5.8

Italy performs better than Romania across all family life metrics.

Data: Italian Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rome Bucharest
Jan–Mar 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Rome Bucharest
Jan 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy 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.

Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Romania

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

Romania passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Italy 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 Italy?

Yes — Romania is on average about 33% cheaper than Italy. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Romania?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RON57,180 in Romania on a €65,577 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Romania?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Romania has 32.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Romania safe for expats?

Italy performs better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Italy?

Italy 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 42.5 in Italy. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.

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At a Glance

IT RO
Population 61,095,551 18,519,899
Currency Euro (€) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages Catalan, Italian Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +39 +40
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112