Romania in 2026
An EU couple after several work related international moves. We’ve been living in Romania for a bit over 2 years now. Overall it’s been a positive experience, but I don’t think we’ll stay long term.
Pluses
- Very little migration compared to Western Europe. People are usually surprised we chose Romania and generally react positively. Even basic Romanian opens a lot of doors and there’s not really foreigner fatigue yet. People are welcoming, want to share their food and culture, at least in our case is was easy to establish friendships
- Strong live-and-let-live mentality, which suits us well. People are relaxed, not overly rule-focused, and it’s easy to get along with neighbors and coworkers if you're polite and decent
- Amazing country if you enjoy hiking and nature with some low cost winter sports opportunities
- Excellent internet infrastructure. Fiber optic internet is available even in many villages, and mobile coverage/LTE is solid.
- You can get by with English in larger cities, but learning even some Romanian makes a big difference. People genuinely appreciate the effort. Many Romanians work abroad in WE counties and I kept running into people in the middle of nowhere speaking very good German/ Italian/ Spanish
Neutral
- Cost of living is still competitive vs Western Europe, but prices are rising steadily (groceries, electricity, gas). Inflation is high
- Healthcare (both public and private) has been okay overall. Doctors can be quite heavy-handed with antibiotics and medication, and preventive healthcare isn’t very common. GPs were often surprised when we asked for routine checkups
- Roads are generally decent enough. Some mountain roads take getting used to. Driving is more free spirited than Western Europe, but still manageable compared to places like the Caucasus. Slightly more hectic than in Greece. Drivers in Bucharest have very short fuse
- perhaps it's due to our EU citizenship, but we found the bureaucracy manageable and did not run into any problems.
Minuses
- Going out, restaurants, and domestic travel can be hit or miss. I’m a big foodie, but most restaurant experiences were mediocre. Not much good international cuisine. Menus tend to rely on popular staples and focus on 'eating your fill'. Hotels often feel underdeveloped and service can be inconsistent. For seaside holidays at the Black See, Bulgaria offers much better value. However if you are open to alternative experiences like agro-tourism, there are some wonderful under the radar places.
- Tax situation over the last 2 years has been discouraging: VAT increases, higher dividend taxes, corporate tax changes, reclassification of entrepreneurial activities, mandatory healthcare contributions etc. More than the taxes themselves, the volatility and unpredictability put us off. There is not one single positive development in this time period encouraging entrepreneurship, retirement or FIRE
- Real estate is difficult. There’s a big gap in the market for good middle-class / upper-middle-class apartments built to modern Western standards. We also struggled finding architects who matched our style. The choices for interior finish are very limited
- Limited expat/international scene outside a few groups (ERASMUS students, Moldovans, Ukrainians, Hungarians). We never really found our tribe among expats
- Vet services were disappointing overall and required trial and error.
- Very subjective take, but I really dislike Bucharest. It feels congested, chaotic, overcrowded, unbearable in the summer, poorly designed, and aesthetically rough outside a few nice pockets. I can enjoy it for a weekend, but I can’t imagine living there long term.
FIRE / rural living angle
- If your version of FIRE includes homesteading or a country home, Romania can offer very good value for money outside cities. You can still find livable small houses with land for around 25k-40k EUR in some areas. The catch is that unless you have the skills to handle renovation or modernization yourself, finding reliable contractors can be challenging.
Summary
- We really like the people and the overall vibe. It’s been easy to settle in and generally a positive social experience.
- The biggest downside for us is the taxation volatility and how frequently things change.
- If you are considering fat FIRE, your options are limited because luxury sector is just developing and rough around the edges
- We knew what we were getting into, so no real surprises there, but long term we'd prefer much milder winters (ideally eternal spring)