Moving to Romania from Netherlands

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Netherlands to Romania, you would find that Romania is 46.7% cheaper than Netherlands overall. A €65,577 salary in Netherlands would need to be roughly RON177,231 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 Netherlands and Romania.

What does your salary buy?

€65,577 RON177,231

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 47.2% less

Groceries

pay 40.1% less

Transportation

pay 51.7% less

Housing

pay 68.1% less

Childcare

pay 49.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 44.3% 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 44% less than cities in Netherlands.

Netherlands

Rotterdam 72%
Eindhoven 67%
Zwolle 62%

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 Netherlands to Romania.

Living there in 2020
1,803 ↑ 811% vs 2015

people born in Netherlands 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 Netherlands.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NL
0.8
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NL
3.4
RO
9.6

Netherlands 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

NL
$8,195
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

NL
39.1
RO
34.7

Netherlands 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NL
6.6t
RO
3.7t

Netherlands 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

NL
44.4
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NL
16.1%
RO
7.4%

Netherlands generally does better on infrastructure, though Romania leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NL
3.6%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NL
$69,300
RO
$40,500

Netherlands 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

NL
82.2 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NL
3.4
RO
5.8

Netherlands performs better than Romania across all family life metrics.

Data: Tax and Customs Administration - Belastingdienst, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Amsterdam Rain: 30.7 in/yr (780 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Amsterdam Bucharest
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/53°F (21°/12°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Amsterdam Bucharest
Jan 42°/33°F (5.4°/0.5°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 43°/32°F (6.0°/0.2°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 49°/36°F (9.2°/2.4°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 54°/39°F (12.4°/4.0°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 63°/46°F (17.1°/7.8°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 67°/51°F (19.2°/10.4°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.5°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.8°/12.3°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 65°/50°F (18.4°/10.2°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 57°/45°F (14.1°/7.0°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 49°/39°F (9.2°/3.9°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Netherlands 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.

Netherlands passport

Netherlands passport holder visiting Romania

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

Romania passport holder visiting Netherlands

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Netherlands 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 Netherlands?

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

How much money do I need to move to Romania?

Budget about RON44,308 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?

Netherlands performs better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Netherlands.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Netherlands?

Netherlands 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 39.1 in Netherlands. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Netherlands: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 56°F in Amsterdam. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Amsterdam gets 30.7 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.

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At a Glance

NL RO
Population 17,400,824 18,519,899
Currency Euro (€) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages Dutch Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +31 +40
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112