Moving to Romania from New York

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from New York to Romania, you would find that Romania is 41.2% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly RON190,338 in Romania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New York and Romania.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 RON190,338

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 30.2% less

Groceries

pay 49.4% less

Transportation

pay 19.4% less

Housing

pay 65.8% less

Childcare

pay 69.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 52.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 USD = 4.6 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 46% less than cities in New York.

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Romania

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from New York to Romania.

Living there in 2020
6,235 ↑ 117% vs 2015

people born in United States 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 New York.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NY
29.9%
RO
22.5%

Romania performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

NY
89.7%
RO
84.0%

New York performs better than Romania across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NY
4.4%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NY
$91,992
RO
$40,500

New York performs better than Romania across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NY
77.7 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs

New York 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.

AlbanyRain: 39.4 in/yr (1000 mm)
58°/39°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsAlbanyBucharest
Jan–Mar37°/19°F (2°/-7°C)44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun68°/47°F (20°/8°C)74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep78°/58°F (26°/14°C)83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec48°/31°F (9°/-1°C)51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
MonthAlbanyBucharest
Jan31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C)37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C)42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C)53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C)64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C)75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C)82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C)86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C)86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C)76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C)64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C)50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C)39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, National Meteorological Administration 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

United States passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Romania without a visa.
Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Romania passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 New York?

On average Romania is about 45% less expensive than New York, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Romania?

Budget about RON47,584 for 3 months in Romania (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Romania?

From major Romania cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New York and Romania are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to New York?

Romania performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Romania compared to New York?

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In New York, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

RO
Population19,378,10218,519,899
CurrencyUnited States Dollar ($)Romanian Leu (RON)
LanguagesEnglishRomanian
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+1+40
Time zones111
Emergency number911112