Moving to Romania from Ukraine
What to Expect
Considering a move from Ukraine to Romania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Ukraine to Romania, you would find that Romania is 27.7% more expensive than Ukraine overall. A UAH3,400,000 salary in Ukraine would need to be roughly RON461,000 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?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Ukraine and Romania.
What does your salary buy?
UAH3,400,000 → RON461,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Romania
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 52.2% more
Groceries
pay 13.6% more
Transportation
pay 17.6% more
Housing
pay 30.0% more
Childcare
pay 40.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 71.5% more
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 7% more than cities in Ukraine.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Romania
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 Ukraine to Romania.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Romania compared to Ukraine.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Romania performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Ukraine generally does better on environment, though Romania leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Romania generally does better on infrastructure, though Ukraine leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Romania performs significantly better than Ukraine across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Ukraine generally does better on family life, though Romania leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Revenue and Duties of Ukraine (2016), National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Kiev | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/25°F (2°/-4°C) | 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/51°F (20°/10°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 83°/57°F (28°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/33°F (6°/1°C) | 51°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kiev | Bucharest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/22°F (-0.7°/-5.5°C) | 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C) |
| Feb | 33°/23°F (0.8°/-5.0°C) | 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C) |
| Mar | 44°/31°F (6.5°/-0.8°C) | 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 59°/42°F (15.1°/5.7°C) | 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C) |
| May | 70°/52°F (21.1°/10.9°C) | 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C) |
| Jun | 76°/59°F (24.6°/14.8°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.6°C) | 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 79°/60°F (25.9°/15.7°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C) |
| Sep | 68°/51°F (20.0°/10.6°C) | 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 55°/41°F (12.9°/5.1°C) | 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C) |
| Nov | 42°/33°F (5.3°/0.3°C) | 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C) |
| Dec | 33°/26°F (0.5°/-3.5°C) | 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C) |
Data:
Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Center,
National Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ukraine 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.
Ukraine passport holder visiting Romania
Visa Free
Romania passport holder visiting Ukraine
Visa FreeData: 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 Ukraine?
On average Romania is around 28% pricier than Ukraine, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Romania?
Budget about RON115,250 for 3 months in Romania (based on a UAH3,400,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Romania?
Connectivity is usually fine (Romania: 35.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Romania offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Romania safe for expats?
Romania performs significantly better than Ukraine across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.8 in Ukraine.
How is healthcare in Romania compared to Ukraine?
Romania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ukraine leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 35.3 in Ukraine. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ukraine: 76).
What's the weather like in Romania compared to Ukraine?
The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 56°F in Kiev. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kiev gets 23.8 in.
What language do they speak in Romania?
The official language in Romania is Romanian. In Ukraine, the official language is Ukrainian.
