Moving to Romania from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to Romania, you would find that Romania is 20.8% cheaper than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly RON234,584 in Romania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian.

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 Spain to Romania.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 RON234,584

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 23.1% less

Groceries

pay 26.8% less

Transportation

pay 31.7% less

Housing

pay 45.8% less

Childcare

pay 4.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 13.3% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 5.24 RON (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 Romania cost about 25% less than cities in Spain.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
61,861 ↑ 107% vs 2015

people born in Spain 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

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ES
0.7
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ES
3.5
RO
9.6

Spain performs better than Romania across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ES
$4,935
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
RO
34.7

Spain 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

ES
10.0
RO
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
RO
3.7t

Spain generally does better on environment, though Romania 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

ES
36.0
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
RO
7.4%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
RO
$40,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
RO
5.8

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

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Bucharest
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Bucharest
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Romania

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

Romania passport holder visiting Spain

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

Yes — Romania is on average about 32% cheaper than Spain. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Romania?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly RON58,646 in Romania on a €65,700 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Romania?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Romania has 32.4 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 Romania safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Romania across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Spain?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES RO
Population 47,163,418 18,519,899
Currency Euro (€) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +40
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 112