Moving to Romania from Portugal
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Portugal to Romania — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Portugal to Romania, you would find that Romania is 18.6% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €65,577 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly RON242,639 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 Portugal to Romania.
What does your salary buy?
€65,577 → RON242,639
To maintain the same standard of living in Romania
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 7.0% less
Groceries
pay 20.1% less
Transportation
pay 31.4% less
Housing
pay 44.6% less
Childcare
pay 11.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.9% 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 23% less than cities in Portugal.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Romania
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Portugal to Romania, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Portugal to Romania.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal 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
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal performs better than Romania across all environment metrics.
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
Portugal 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
Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Romania leads in unemployment 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Portugal generally does better on family life, though Romania leads in literacy rate.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
National Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Romania
Visa Free
Romania passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Portugal?
Yes — Romania is on average about 29% cheaper than Portugal. 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 RON60,660 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?
Portugal 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 Portugal.
How is healthcare in Romania compared to Portugal?
Portugal 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 57.7 in Portugal. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Romania compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Romania?
The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
