Moving to Romania from Japan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Japan to Romania — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Japan to Romania, you would find that Romania is 3.9% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly RON310,533 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.
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 Japan to Romania.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → RON310,533
To maintain the same standard of living in Romania
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 73.3% more
Groceries
pay 32.5% less
Transportation
pay 18.5% less
Housing
pay 30.3% less
Childcare
pay 18.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.9% 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 3% less than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Japan to Romania, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Japan to Romania.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Romania across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though Romania leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Romania leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Romania leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan generally does better on family life, though Romania leads in education spending.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
National Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Romania
Visa Free
Romania passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: 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 Japan?
Yes — Romania is on average about 10% cheaper than Japan. 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 RON77,633 in Romania on a ¥12,124,875 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?
Japan performs better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Romania compared to Japan?
Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 26.1 in Japan. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Romania compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Romania?
The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
