How Romania compares across key indices
Cost of Living
45 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
88/100
Healthcare
63/100
Quality of Life
167/200
How far your money goes in Romania
Cost of Living
45
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
34
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
45
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
47
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Romania - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
88/100
Crime Index
4/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Romania has 134 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $898 in Tulcea to $1,174 in Bucharest. Târgovişte leads on safety, scoring 91/100. Târgovişte ranks highest for quality of life at 172/200.
Tulcea
$898/mo
Târgovişte
91/100
Târgovişte
172/200
Bucharest
76/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucharest | $1,174 | 82/100 | 168/200 | 76/100 | 39 |
| Sector 3 | $982 | 87/100 | 170/200 | 66/100 | 30 |
| Iaşi | $981 | 87/100 | 170/200 | 66/100 | 30 |
| Sector 6 | $979 | 87/100 | 170/200 | 65/100 | 30 |
| Constanţa | $972 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 65/100 | 29 |
| Sector 2 | $968 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 65/100 | 29 |
| Sector 4 | $968 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 65/100 | 29 |
| Cluj-Napoca | $967 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 65/100 | 29 |
| Sector 5 | $965 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 64/100 | 28 |
| Braşov | $961 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 64/100 | 28 |
| Timişoara | $961 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 64/100 | 28 |
| Craiova | $958 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 64/100 | 28 |
| Sector 1 | $956 | 88/100 | 171/200 | 64/100 | 28 |
| Galaţi | $954 | 89/100 | 171/200 | 64/100 | 28 |
| Târgu Mureş | $953 | 89/100 | 171/200 | 64/100 | 27 |
| Oradea | $947 | 89/100 | 171/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Ploieşti | $946 | 89/100 | 171/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Arad | $943 | 89/100 | 171/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| Brăila | $939 | 89/100 | 171/200 | 63/100 | 26 |
| Piteşti | $935 | 89/100 | 171/200 | 62/100 | 26 |
| Bacău | $933 | 90/100 | 171/200 | 62/100 | 26 |
| Sibiu | $932 | 90/100 | 171/200 | 62/100 | 26 |
| Satu Mare | $924 | 90/100 | 172/200 | 62/100 | 25 |
| Baia Mare | $922 | 90/100 | 172/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Buzău | $920 | 90/100 | 172/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Piatra Neamţ | $919 | 90/100 | 172/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Râmnicu Vâlcea | $915 | 90/100 | 172/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Botoşani | $913 | 90/100 | 172/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Suceava | $910 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Reşiţa | $908 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 61/100 | 24 |
| Drobeta-Turnu Severin | $907 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 24 |
| Bistriţa | $907 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 24 |
| Târgu Jiu | $903 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Hunedoara | $900 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Roman | $900 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Bârlad | $900 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Deva | $900 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Târgovişte | $899 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Focșani | $899 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
| Tulcea | $898 | 91/100 | 172/200 | 60/100 | 23 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Romania. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
54
Verified records
13
Cities covered
6
Credential signals
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Bucharest
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Oradea
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Bucharest
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Bucharest
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Sibiu
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Bucharest
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Consta
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Cluj
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Romania
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Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Romania
Pollution Index
30/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
14.9ug/m3
Good
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Romania, answered with data
Romania has a cost of living index of 45 relative to New York City (100). It is moderately affordable compared to the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $919 in Piatra Neamţ and reach $1,174 in Bucharest.
Piatra Neamţ is the most affordable city in Romania in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $919 for a single person including rent. Buzău is the next most affordable at $920/mo.
Romania has a safety index of 88/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Buzău scores highest on safety at 90/100.
Buzău ranks highest for quality of life in Romania, scoring 172/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $920/mo for a single person. For budget-conscious expats, Piatra Neamţ offers the lowest monthly costs at $919/mo.
Romania scores 63/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it good by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. Romania's cost of living is roughly 55% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 66% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
Romania has a pollution index of 30/100 (lower = cleaner). This is relatively clean by global standards, making it appealing for those prioritising air quality and outdoor lifestyle.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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