Moving to Israel from Romania

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Romania to Israel, you would find that Israel is 98.9% more expensive than Romania overall. A RON342,608 salary in Romania would need to be roughly ₪432,186 in Israel to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic and Hebrew. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jerusalem averages 72°F vs 63°F in Bucharest, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Romania to Israel.

What does your salary buy?

RON342,608 ₪432,186

To maintain the same standard of living in Israel

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 82.9% more

Groceries

pay 80.8% more

Transportation

pay 92.5% more

Housing

pay 2.8 times more

Childcare

pay 75.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RON = 0.6473 ILS (June 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 Israel cost about 78% more than cities in Romania.

Romania

Baia Mare 34%

Israel

Ashqelon 68%
Holon 65%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Israel

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
6 ↓ 74% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to Israel?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RO
1.3
IL
1.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RO
9.6
IL
4.2

Romania generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RO
$2,614
IL
$4,033
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RO
34.7
IL
37.1

Israel 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
IL
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RO
3.7t
IL
5.8t

Romania generally does better on environment, though Israel 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
IL
29.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RO
7.4%
IL
132.0%

Romania generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RO
5.6%
IL
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RO
$40,500
IL
$48,300

Romania generally does better on employment & economy, though Israel leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RO
75.8 yrs
IL
83.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RO
5.8
IL
3.6

Israel generally does better on family life, though Romania leads in literacy rate.

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

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bucharest Jerusalem
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 58°/46°F (15°/8°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 78°/60°F (25°/15°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) 85°/67°F (29°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) 68°/55°F (20°/13°C)
View all months
Month Bucharest Jerusalem
Jan 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C)
Feb 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C)
Mar 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C)
Apr 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C)
May 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C)
Jun 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C)
Aug 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C)
Sep 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C)
Nov 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C)
Dec 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C)

Data: National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration, Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Israel

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Romania passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Israel.
Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Free
Israel 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 Israel than Romania?

No — Israel is on average about 95% more expensive than Romania. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Israel?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₪108,046 in Israel on a RON342,608 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Israel?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Israel has 29.4 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 Israel safe for expats?

Romania generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Israel is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Romania.

How is healthcare in Israel compared to Romania?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 37.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Israel, compared to 34.7 in Romania. Israel scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Jerusalem is 72°F, compared to 63°F in Bucharest. Jerusalem receives around 21.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bucharest gets 23.4 in.

What language do they speak in Israel?

The official languages in Israel are Arabic and Hebrew. In Romania, the official language is Romanian.

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At a Glance

RO IL
Population 18,519,899 8,914,885
Currency Romanian Leu (RON) Israeli New Sheqel (₪)
Languages Romanian Arabic, Hebrew
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +40 +972
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 100