Moving to Sao Tome and Principe from Romania

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Romania to Sao Tome and Principe — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Romania to Sao Tome and Principe, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Romania and Sao Tome and Principe stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RO
1.3
ST
3.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RO
9.6
ST
11.7

Romania performs better than Sao Tome and Principe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RO
$2,614
ST
$355
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RO
34.7
ST
4.9

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sao Tome and Principe 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
ST
85.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RO
3.7t
ST
0.6t

Romania generally does better on environment, though Sao Tome and Principe 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

RO
32.4
ST
2.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RO
7.4%
ST
1.9%

Romania generally does better on infrastructure, though Sao Tome and Principe 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%
ST
14.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RO
$40,500
ST
$5,500

Romania performs better than Sao Tome and Principe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RO
75.8 yrs
ST
67.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RO
5.8
ST
44.4

Romania generally does better on family life, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in education spending.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Sao Tome and Principe

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Sao Tome and Principe without a visa.
Sao Tome and Principe passport

Sao Tome and Principe passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Required
Sao Tome and Principe passport holders need a visa to enter Romania.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Sao Tome and Principe?

With 2.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sao Tome and Principe can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Romania and Sao Tome and Principe.

Is Sao Tome and Principe safe for expats?

Romania performs better than Sao Tome and Principe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sao Tome and Principe is 3.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Romania.

How is healthcare in Sao Tome and Principe compared to Romania?

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sao Tome and Principe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 4.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Sao Tome and Principe, compared to 34.7 in Romania. Sao Tome and Principe scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).

What language do they speak in Sao Tome and Principe?

The official language in Sao Tome and Principe is Portuguese. In Romania, the official language is Romanian.

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At a Glance

RO ST
Population 18,519,899 217,164
Currency Romanian Leu (RON) São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra (STD)
Languages Romanian Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +40 +239
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112