Moving to Romania from Sierra Leone

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sierra Leone to Romania — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sierra Leone to Romania, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bucharest averages 63°F vs 86°F in Freetown, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Sierra Leone to Romania, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
46 ↑ 1050% vs 2015

people born in Sierra Leone live in Romania · UN DESA

Who's moving to Romania?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Sierra Leone and Romania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SL
2.1
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SL
13.8
RO
9.6

Romania performs significantly better than Sierra Leone across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SL
$159
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SL
0.4
RO
34.7

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

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SL
97.0
RO
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SL
0.2t
RO
3.7t

Sierra Leone generally does better on environment, though Romania 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

SL
0.0
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SL
0.5%
RO
7.4%

Romania generally does better on infrastructure, though Sierra Leone leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SL
3.2%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SL
$1,700
RO
$40,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SL
58.8 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SL
73.4
RO
5.8

Romania generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone leads in education spending.

Data: National Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Freetown Rain: 116.0 in/yr (2946 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Freetown Bucharest
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/76°F (31°/24°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/75°F (30°/24°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Freetown Bucharest
Jan 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sierra Leone 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.

Sierra Leone passport

Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Required
Sierra Leone passport holders need a visa to enter Romania.
Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Sierra Leone

Visa on Arrival
Romania passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Sierra Leone.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Romania?

With 32.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Romania can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sierra Leone and Romania.

Is Romania safe for expats?

Romania performs significantly better than Sierra Leone across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Sierra Leone.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 0.4 in Sierra Leone. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sierra Leone: 41).

What's the weather like in Romania compared to Sierra Leone?

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 86°F in Freetown. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Freetown gets 116.0 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Sierra Leone, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

SL RO
Population 8,692,606 18,519,899
Currency Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages English Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +232 +40
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112