Romania
Eastern Europe
EuropeEUSchengen
A low-tax EU and Schengen member with a top-tier passport, a digital-nomad visa and a startup visa, but case-by-case immigration and tax rules.
67
Overall score
Good · 96% data coverage
Language
RomanianCurrency
RONCitizenship
8 yearsPersonal tax
10% flat plus social contributionsCost of living
€1,050 / mo (single)Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.
Score breakdown
55
Access
17%48Residence12%
72Citizenship and passport5%
72
Earning power
25%63Salary and work12%
81Buying power13%
61
Business and wealth
20%78Taxes7%
64Business8%
31Investment5%
75
Daily life
25%78Quality of life18%
69Education7%
68
Rights and institutions
13%80Freedom6%
58Rule of law7%
Pros
- A top-tier passport
- A digital-nomad visa
- A startup visa
Cons
- Case-by-case immigration and tax rules
Best for
Remote workersLow-tax relocatorsFounders
Score profile
Access
Residence
48
Citizenship
65
Passport
92
Earning power
Salary & work
63
Buying power
81
Cost of living
77
Economy
69
Business and wealth
Taxes
78
Personal tax
82
Corporate tax
54
Business
64
Investment
31
Wealth building
62
Daily life
Safety
73
Healthcare
87
Environment
86
Infrastructure
72
Education
69
HDI
85
Rights and institutions
Freedom
80
Rule of law
58
Access
Residence
Openness to residents
48Moderate
Migrant stock3.4% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality0.38 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Main pathways
EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible
| Student | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
|---|---|
| Work | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
| Self-employed | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
| Permanent | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
65Good
| Years required | 8 years |
|---|---|
| Dual allowed | Yes |
| Language | Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route |
| Residence | Typical headline route: 8 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply |
| Notes | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
Passport
Passport power
92Excellent
182 / 198
Mobility
#13
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
- Visa-free134
- On arrival40
- eTA8
- Visa required16
Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.
Earning power
Salary & work
Labour-market strength
63Moderate
Output per worker$98,713 PPP (2024)
Unemployment6.0% (2025)
Participation51.3% of 15+ (2025)
Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$1,359 · $2,594 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$1,926 · $3,675 PPP (2024)
| Freelance | Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation |
|---|---|
| Job market | Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions. |
Buying power
Purchasing power score
81Excellent
GNI / person$49,550 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$28,107 PPP (2024)
Price level49 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality29.8 Gini (2023)
Inflation7.2% / yr (2025)
Cost of living
Affordability
77Good
Price level49 (US = 100) (2025)
| Rent | Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood |
|---|---|
| Monthly | €1,050 / mo (single) |
| Cities | Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara |
Economy
Economic strength
69Good
Output & income
GDP$428.7B (2025)
GDP / person$22,538 (2025)
GNI / person$49,550 PPP (2025)
GDP growth0.9% / yr (2024)
Stability & labour
Inflation7.2% / yr (2025)
Unemployment6.0% (2025)
Output per worker$98,713 PPP (2024)
Sector composition
Agriculture3.0% of GDP (2025)
Industry25.3% of GDP (2025)
Services61.7% of GDP (2025)
Main industries
IT & softwareAutomotive componentsMachineryAgricultureEnergy
Top exports
Vehicles & partsMachinery & electronicsAgricultural products
| Type | Upper-middle-income, manufacturing- and IT-led |
|---|---|
| Key sectors | IT & outsourcing, Automotive supply, Agri-food & energy |
| Summary | One of the EU's faster-growing economies, with a strong IT sector, auto-parts manufacturing and farmland. |
| Currency | Romanian leu |
Business and wealth
Taxes
Tax friendliness
78Good
| Personal | 10% flat plus social contributions |
|---|---|
| Corporate | 16%; qualifying microenterprise regimes vary |
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position |
| Dividends | Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility |
| Exit tax | Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence |
| Foreign companies | Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply |
Personal tax
Personal tax
82Excellent
| Personal | 10% flat plus social contributions |
|---|---|
| Freelance | Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply |
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position |
| Dividends | Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility |
| Exit tax | Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence |
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
54Moderate
| Corporate | 16%; qualifying microenterprise regimes vary |
|---|---|
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position |
| Dividends | Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility |
| Foreign companies | Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply |
Business
Business friendliness
64Moderate
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality0.38 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness0.42 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Operating rules
| Foreign company | Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules |
|---|---|
| Local company | Available company forms and capital requirements vary |
| Freelance | Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply |
Investment
Investing environment
31Limited
Market cap17% of GDP (2025)
Private credit22% of GDP (2025)
| Capital gains | Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position |
|---|---|
| Dividends | Data not available yet |
| ETFs & funds | Data not available yet |
| Wealth tax | Check current national and subnational rules |
| Brokers | Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks |
| Foreign access | Data not available yet |
| Tax-advantaged | Data not available yet |
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
62Moderate
Salary & work
63Moderate
Business
64Moderate
Investment
31Limited
Tax friendliness
78Good
Cost of living
77Good
Daily life
Safety
Safety & stability
73Good
Institutions & stability
Control of corruption0.03 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.16 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.
Healthcare
Healthcare score
87Excellent
Outcomes
Life expectancy76.5 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality7.3 per 1,000 births (2024)
Capacity & resourcing
Physicians3.63 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds7.23 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$2,614 PPP / person (2023)
System & costs
| System | Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status |
|---|---|
| Insurance | Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements |
| Average cost | Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage |
Environment
Environment score
86Excellent
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure16.0 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress7.6% (2022)
Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
72Good
Digital infrastructure
Internet use91.3% (2024)
Internet resilience63 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed93 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed68 / 100 download index (2026)
Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index
Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses9.8% of output (2023)
Transport
Transport quality2.90 / 5 (2022)
Rail density46.8 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity1,701 departures / million people (2023)
Education
Education score
69Good
Attainment
Expected schooling14.1 years (2023)
Mean schooling11.6 years (2023)
Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment55% gross (2023)
Education spending3.3% of GDP (2022)
| Tuition | €2,000–8,000 / yr |
|---|---|
| Public university | Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality |
| Languages | Romanian |
| Student work | Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting. |
HDI
Human development score
85Excellent
HDI0.845 (2023)
Knowledge
Expected schooling14.1 years (2023)
Mean schooling11.6 years (2023)
Rights and institutions
Freedom
Freedom score
80Excellent
| Freedom in the World | 80 / 100 (Free) |
|---|
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
58Moderate
| Rule of Law percentile | 58 / 100 |
|---|
Sources
Resources
Official references
UN Statistics: M49 country and area codesunstats.un.orgPwC: Worldwide Tax Summariestaxsummaries.pwc.comEuropean Union: EU countrieseuropean-union.europa.euCouncil of the EU: Schengen areaconsilium.europa.euUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.orgILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)ilostat.ilo.org
Quick links
Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.