Housing Guide for Expats in Romania
Finding the right home in Romania – whether renting or buying. Here’s everything you need to know.
Bucharest Neighborhoods
Premium/Expat-Friendly
| Area |
Vibe |
Rent (2-bed) |
Best For |
| Dorobanti/Floreasca |
Upscale, quiet, embassies |
800-1500 EUR |
Families, professionals |
| Herastrau/Aviatorilor |
Parks, luxury, international schools |
900-2000 EUR |
Families with kids |
| Primaverii |
Villas, diplomatic area |
1000-2500 EUR |
Executives |
| Pipera |
New builds, malls, corporate |
600-1000 EUR |
IT workers, young professionals |
Mid-Range/Popular
| Area |
Vibe |
Rent (2-bed) |
Best For |
| Unirii/Universitate |
Central, vibrant, nightlife |
500-800 EUR |
Young professionals |
| Tineretului |
Parks, residential, good metro |
450-700 EUR |
Couples, value seekers |
| Drumul Taberei |
Family-oriented, new metro |
400-600 EUR |
Families on budget |
| Titan/Balta Alba |
Affordable, improving |
350-550 EUR |
Budget-conscious |
Trendy/Creative
| Area |
Vibe |
Rent (2-bed) |
Best For |
| Old Town (Lipscani) |
Historic, bars, tourists |
600-1000 EUR |
Nightlife lovers |
| Cotroceni |
Bohemian, cafes, students |
500-800 EUR |
Creatives, academics |
Rental Tips
Finding Apartments
- OLX.ro – Largest classifieds (filter: “Proprietar” for owner-direct)
- Storia.ro – Clean interface, verified listings
- Imobiliare.ro – Comprehensive listings
- Facebook Groups – “Apartments for Rent Bucharest”, “Expats in Romania Housing”
Expat-Friendly Agencies
- Blitz Imobiliare (English-speaking)
- Regatta Real Estate
- Coldwell Banker Romania
- RE/MAX Romania
Standard Rental Terms
- Deposit: 1-2 months rent
- Agency fee: 50-100% of one month rent (if using agency)
- Contract: Minimum 1 year typical
- Notice period: Usually 30-60 days
- Utilities: Often not included (add 100-200 EUR/month)
Red Flags
- Requests for payment before viewing
- No proper contract offered
- Owner unwilling to register contract with ANAF
- Pressure to decide immediately
- Utilities in previous tenant’s name
Utilities Setup
Average Monthly Costs (2-bedroom apartment)
| Utility |
Summer |
Winter |
| Electricity |
50-100 RON |
100-200 RON |
| Gas (heating) |
50 RON |
300-600 RON |
| Water |
50-80 RON |
50-80 RON |
| Internet |
50-70 RON |
50-70 RON |
| Building maintenance |
100-300 RON |
100-300 RON |
Providers
- Electricity: Enel, E.ON, Electrica
- Gas: Engie, E.ON
- Internet: Digi (best value), Orange, Vodafone, Telekom
Buying Property
Can Expats Buy?
- EU citizens: Yes, same rights as Romanians
- Non-EU citizens: Can buy apartments/buildings, NOT land directly (use SRL company)
Purchase Process
- Find property & agree price
- Pre-contract (antecontract) with 10% deposit
- Due diligence (land registry, building permits)
- Final contract at notary
- Register with land registry (Cartea Funciară)
Costs
- Notary fees: 0.5-1% of property value
- Land registry: 0.15%
- Agency fee: 2-3% (usually paid by buyer)
- No stamp duty for individuals
Last updated: December 2024