Moving to United States from Romania

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Romania to United States, you would find that United States is 2.3 times more expensive than Romania overall. A RON345,233 salary in Romania would need to be roughly $147,884 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Romania and United States.

What does your salary buy?

RON345,233 $147,884

To maintain the same standard of living in United States

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 49.5% more

Groceries

pay 2.4 times more

Transportation

pay 76.0% more

Housing

pay 4.5 times more

Childcare

pay 2.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 88.5% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate:1 RON = 0.2172 USD(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 United States cost about 125% more than cities in Romania.

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to United States

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?

What the data shows about people moving from Romania to United States.

Moved in 2023
1,700 ↑ 3% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in United States compared to Romania.

Is it safe?

Homicide rateUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RO
1.3
US
6.4
Road traffic deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RO
9.6
US
14.2

Romania performs better than United States across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per personWorld Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RO
$2,614
US
$13,473
Doctors per 10,000 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RO
34.7
US
36.1

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deathsUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RO
46.0
US
14.0
CO₂ emissions per capitaWorld Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RO
3.7t
US
13.6t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 peopleUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RO
32.4
US
37.8
Water stress levelUnited Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RO
7.4%
US
28.2%

United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Romania leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateThe World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RO
5.6%
US
3.6%
GDP per capitaThe World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RO
$40,500
US
$73,600

United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Romania leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyThe World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RO
75.8 yrs
US
80.6 yrs
Infant mortalityThe World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RO
5.8
US
5.2

United States 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

WashingtonRain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66°/44°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsBucharestWashington
Jan–Mar44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun74°/49°F (23°/9°C)75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep83°/57°F (28°/14°C)85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec51°/34°F (10°/1°C)57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
MonthBucharestWashington
Jan37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting United States

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

United States passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Free
United States 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 United States than Romania?

On average United States is around 97% pricier than Romania, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to United States?

Budget about $36,971 for 3 months in United States (based on a RON345,233 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from United States?

Connectivity is usually fine (United States: 37.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United States offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is United States safe for expats?

Romania performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Romania.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Romania?

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 34.7 in Romania. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Romania: 78).

What's the weather like in United States compared to Romania?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 63°F in Bucharest. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Bucharest gets 23.4 in.

What language do they speak in United States?

The official language in United States is English. In Romania, the official language is Romanian.

Share this

At a Glance

RO US
Population18,519,899337,341,954
CurrencyRomanian Leu (RON)United States Dollar ($)
LanguagesRomanianEnglish
Driving sideRightRight
Calling code+40+1
Time zones111
Emergency number112911