Relocation planning fails when you only look at “rent”.
Your first months in Romania are usually expensive because you pay:
- deposits
- setup costs (furniture, internet, appliances)
- admin friction (time + sometimes fees)
- “trial and error” costs (finding the right area, commuting realities)
This guide gives you a practical checklist and a simple way to compare two city scenarios in Romania as an IT professional.
TL;DR
- Build two budgets: one-time relocation costs and monthly burn.
- Compare two city scenarios using consistent categories (rent, transport, food, buffer).
- Keep a first-month buffer; relocation expenses are rarely smooth.
- Tools:
Who this is for
- People moving to Romania for an IT job (employee or contractor).
- People relocating internally within Romania (e.g., Bucharest ↔ Cluj).
- Anyone trying to decide between “higher salary” vs “lower cost city”.
Step 1: Decide what kind of relocation you’re doing
Your budget depends heavily on the scenario:
- solo vs couple vs family
- short-term rental first vs long-term lease immediately
- with car vs without car
- office commute vs remote-first
Write your assumptions down. If you don’t, you’ll compare apples to oranges.
Step 2: Split costs into two buckets
Bucket A: One-time relocation/setup costs
Typical items:
- rental deposit(s) + agency fees (if applicable)
- first month rent paid upfront (depends on contract)
- basic furniture and home office setup
- internet installation / mobile setup
- one-time travel costs (tickets, luggage, temporary accommodation)
Rule of thumb: one-time costs are often the reason people “feel broke” in month 1 even with a good salary.
Bucket B: Monthly burn (your steady-state budget)
This is what determines whether the move is sustainable.
Step 3: Scenario budgeting (City A vs City B)
Use the tool to compare two setups:
The goal is not perfect precision. The goal is a consistent comparison:
- “If I live in city A with a car and commute, how does that compare to city B without a car?”
Categories you should include (minimum viable relocation budget)
1) Rent + utilities
Rent is the biggest line item, but the “real rent” is:
- rent + utilities + internet + building costs (if applicable)
Decisions that change the number:
- neighborhood and proximity to office
- apartment size (studio vs 2-room)
- whether you accept an older building vs newer
2) Transport (public vs car)
Transport is not just “metro ticket” vs “gas”.
If you have a car, include:
- fuel
- parking
- maintenance
- insurance
If you use public transport, include:
- monthly passes
- occasional ride-hailing
3) Food (home + eating out)
Many budgets underestimate food because:
- the first weeks involve more eating out
- office days often add extra costs (coffee, lunch, snacks)
4) Health and insurance
If you’re an employee, you may have private medical insurance included. Still consider:
- what’s covered (and what’s not)
- dependents
- out-of-pocket medicines and visits
5) Coworking / home office (remote workers)
Remote work costs are real:
- coworking membership (optional)
- improved internet plan
- desk/chair upgrades
6) Lifestyle + “integration” costs
This category is often missing:
- gym/sports
- language learning
- social activities and city exploration
If you ignore it, you create a budget that looks good but feels miserable.
A practical way to estimate “salary sufficiency”
If you’re an employee, connect the relocation budget to net salary:
Create two views:
- “survival month” (conservative spending)
- “normal month” (sustainable lifestyle)
Then compare to your expected net. If the gap is tight, you need either:
- a higher salary, or
- a different city/area, or
- a shared housing plan for the first months
Common relocation mistakes (IT edition)
- Choosing location based only on rent price and then losing hours/day commuting.
- Underestimating one-time costs (deposit + setup).
- Forgetting to budget a buffer (first months are chaotic).
- Assuming your “home country budget” translates directly.
- Ignoring job-market depth (some cities have fewer roles in certain stacks).
Admin checklist (non-budget, but costs time)
Relocation also costs time. A simple checklist that prevents chaos:
- keep digital copies of key documents (ID/passport, contracts, payslips)
- clarify what your employer helps with (if you’re relocating for a job)
- plan your first 1–2 weeks for “setup time” (internet, banking, paperwork)
Even if these tasks don’t cost a lot in money, they can cost you time off work or missed onboarding context.
FAQ
Should I rent short-term first?
If you don’t know the city well, a short-term rental for the first weeks can reduce risk. It may cost more per month, but it helps you choose the right neighborhood and commute pattern.
How big should my relocation buffer be?
Enough to cover deposits and one extra “messy month” (late payments, unexpected purchases, temporary accommodation). If your buffer is zero, you’re one surprise away from stress.
What if I’m relocating as a contractor (B2B)?
Treat it like a business decision: model downtime risk and keep a larger buffer. Use the Freelancer hourly rate formula to price downtime into your rate.
Practical next steps
To make the call, compare city scenarios in Cost of living, sanity-check ranges in Salary Insights, and browse IT jobs to see what’s live for your role.
