Moving to Romania from United Kingdom

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from United Kingdom to Romania, you would find that Romania is 55.2% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £57,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly RON161,000 in Romania to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Romanian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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 United Kingdom to Romania.

What does your salary buy?

£57,000 → RON161,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Romania

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 40.3% less

Groceries

pay 37.0% less

Transportation

pay 47.1% less

Housing

pay 70.9% less

Childcare

pay 69.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 51.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 6.31 RON (October 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 48% less than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Surrey 79%
Harrow 74%
Ealing 72%
Wigan 68%

Romania

Brasov 39%
Timisoara 37%
Bacau 34%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
31,593 ↑ 507% vs 2015

people born in United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom to Romania.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GB
1.1
RO
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GB
2.4
RO
9.6

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GB
$6,606
RO
$2,614
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

GB
33.0
RO
36.2

United Kingdom 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

GB
13.0
RO
46.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GB
4.2t
RO
3.7t

United Kingdom generally does better on environment, though Romania leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GB
42.2
RO
35.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GB
14.3%
RO
7.6%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GB
4.8%
RO
6.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$57,602
RO
$22,538

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GB
81.4 yrs
RO
76.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
4.1
RO
6.0

United Kingdom performs better than Romania across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Bucharest
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 83°/57°F (28°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 51°/34°F (10°/1°C)
View all months
Month London Bucharest
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 37°/23°F (2.8°/-4.8°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 42°/25°F (5.5°/-4.0°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 53°/32°F (11.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 64°/41°F (18.0°/4.9°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 75°/49°F (24.0°/9.6°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.6°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 86°/60°F (29.8°/15.4°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.9°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 76°/51°F (24.6°/10.5°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 64°/42°F (17.9°/5.4°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.6°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 39°/26°F (3.8°/-3.4°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office, National Meteorological Administration National Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.

United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Romania

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Romania without a visa.
Romania passport

Romania passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Romania passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United Kingdom.

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 United Kingdom?

Yes — Romania is on average about 55% cheaper than United Kingdom. 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 RON40,250 in Romania on a £57,000 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 35.8 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?

United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though Romania leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Romania is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in United Kingdom.

How is healthcare in Romania compared to United Kingdom?

United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Romania leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Romania, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. Romania scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).

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

The average high temperature in Bucharest is 63°F, compared to 60°F in London. Bucharest receives around 23.4 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in Romania?

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

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At a Glance

GB RO
Population 69,487,000 19,020,271
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) Romanian Leu (RON)
Languages English Romanian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +40
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 999 112