Romania: cost of living

What is the poverty rate in Romania?

27.4% of people in Romania were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, down from 27.9% in 2024 and 32.0% in 2023, according to Eurostat's at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion table. The EU average was 20.9%.

The measure counts people who have low income relative to the national median, face severe material and social deprivation, or live in households with very low work intensity. It is relative to Romanian incomes, so it does not measure absolute poverty. The data come from the EU-SILC survey run by the National Institute of Statistics.

Official sources: at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion table

Are food prices still rising in Romania?

Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices in Romania were 2.1% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier, down from 5.5% in June, according to Eurostat's HICP monthly data. In the EU, food prices rose 0.3%.

Food inflation has slowed faster than overall inflation, which was 6.3% in August. The harmonised index uses EU-wide methods; the National Institute of Statistics publishes the national consumer price index with more detail on individual food items.

Official sources: HICP monthly data

What is Romania's inflation rate?

The latest figure from the IMF, for 2025, is 7.2%. The peak was 13.8% in 2022 and the low -1.5% in 2016. It is 8th highest of 48 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 3.7%. World rank, highest first: 28th of 165.

How much do people in Romania spend?

$9,072: that is household consumption per person in Romania for 2025, according to the World Bank. No year since 2005 has been higher. Europe & Central Asia median: $11,266; Romania is 31st highest of 44. Worldwide: 42nd of 124.

What share of people in Romania live in extreme poverty?

0.7%: that is the share of people living on less than $3.00 a day in Romania for 2023, according to the World Bank. No year since 2005 has been lower. Europe & Central Asia median: 0.4%; Romania is 12th highest of 34. Of 59 countries with 2023 data, 33rd highest.

What is the poverty rate in Romania?

The latest figure from the World Bank, for 2024, is 18.4%. That is the lowest since at least 2006. Europe & Central Asia median: 15.8%; Romania is 7th highest of 14. Of 31 countries with 2024 data, 20th highest.

What is Romania's Gini coefficient?

The latest figure from the World Bank, for 2023, is 29.8. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 31.5, and Romania placed 22nd highest of 34. World rank, highest first: 44th of 59.

How many people in Romania go hungry?

In 2024, moderate or severe food insecurity in Romania was 15.2%, according to the FAO. The peak was 19.3% in 2015 and the low 13.4% in 2020. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 7.6%, and Romania placed 7th highest of 45. Of 135 countries with 2024 data, 79th highest.