Moving to Romania from Turkey

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Turkey to Romania, you would find that Romania is 21.9% more expensive than Turkey overall. A TRY3,523,838 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly RON290,717 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 Turkey to Romania.

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,523,838 RON290,717

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 91.0% more

Groceries

pay 31.8% more

Transportation

pay 9.2% less

Housing

pay 18.7% more

Childcare

pay 10.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 29.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 0.0976 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 17% less than cities in Turkey.

Turkey

Istanbul 49%

Romania

Baia Mare 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
9,206 ↑ 58% vs 2015

people born in Turkey 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 Turkey to Romania.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

TR
2.7
RO
1.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
RO
9.6

Turkey generally does better on safety, though Romania leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

TR
$1,769
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

TR
21.7
RO
34.7

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey 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

TR
39.0
RO
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
RO
3.7t

Turkey 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

TR
22.3
RO
32.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
43.4%
RO
7.4%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

TR
9.4%
RO
5.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$34,400
RO
$40,500

Romania generally does better on employment & economy, though Turkey leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

TR
76.2 yrs
RO
75.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
19.4
RO
5.8

Romania generally does better on family life, though Turkey leads in life expectancy.

Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Ankara Rain: 15.0 in/yr (382 mm)
64° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Ankara Bucharest
Jan–Mar 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month Ankara Bucharest
Jan 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Required
Turkey passport holders need a visa to enter Romania.
Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting Turkey

Visa Free
Romania passport holders can enter Turkey 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 Turkey?

Yes — Romania is on average about 15% cheaper than Turkey. 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 RON72,679 in Romania on a TRY3,523,838 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?

Turkey generally does better on safety, though Romania leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 in Turkey.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to Turkey?

Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Turkey leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 21.7 in Turkey. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

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At a Glance

TR RO
Population 83,047,706 18,519,899
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages Turkish Romanian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +90 +40
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112