Moving to Germany from Romania

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Romania to Germany, you would find that Germany is 89.9% more expensive than Romania overall. A RON344,033 salary in Romania would need to be roughly €105,675 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German.

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 Romania to Germany.

What does your salary buy?

RON344,033 €105,675

To maintain the same standard of living in Germany

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 67.9% more

Groceries

pay 77.8% more

Transportation

pay 2.2 times more

Housing

pay 3.0 times more

Childcare

pay 52.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 68.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RON = 0.191 EUR (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 Germany cost about 52% more than cities in Romania.

Romania

Baia Mare 34%

Germany

Munich 66%
Frankfurt 63%
Hamburg 63%
Oldenburg 55%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
202,039 ↓ 7% vs 2022

people moved from Romania to Germany · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Germany?

Top countries of origin for Germany's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

RO
9.6
DE
3.3

Germany performs significantly better than Romania across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

RO
$2,614
DE
$8,826
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RO
34.7
DE
45.2

Germany 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RO
3.7t
DE
6.9t

Romania generally does better on environment, though Germany leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RO
32.4
DE
45.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RO
7.4%
DE
35.4%

Germany 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

RO
5.6%
DE
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RO
$40,500
DE
$61,900

Germany 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

RO
75.8 yrs
DE
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RO
5.8
DE
3.2

Germany performs significantly better than Romania across all family life metrics.

Data: National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF), The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bucharest Berlin
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) 72°/55°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Bucharest Berlin
Jan 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C)
Feb 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C)
Mar 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C)
May 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C)
Jun 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C)
Aug 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C)
Sep 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C)
Nov 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C)
Dec 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C)

Data: National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration, Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Romania and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.

Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Germany

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

Germany passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Free
Germany passport holders can enter Romania 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 Germany than Romania?

No — Germany is on average about 61% more expensive than Romania. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Germany?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €26,419 in Germany on a RON344,033 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Germany?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Germany has 45.0 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 Germany safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Germany compared to Romania?

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 34.7 in Romania. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 63°F in Bucharest. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bucharest gets 23.4 in.

What language do they speak in Germany?

The official language in Germany is German. In Romania, the official language is Romanian.

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At a Glance

RO DE
Population 18,519,899 84,316,622
Currency Romanian Leu (RON) Euro (€)
Languages Romanian German
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +40 +49
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112