Housing

Romania has many communist-era apartment blocks (blocuri) that are perfectly liveable and often renovated inside. The key factors are: heating type (central district heating vs. individual boiler), elevator condition, double-glazed windows (for warmth and noise), and the ground-floor security situation. Expats tend to prefer apartments in newer buildings or renovated interiors in older blocks. Floreasca villas and newer developments command premiums.

Romanian leases typically quote rent excluding utilities. The 'întreținere' is a monthly communal fee covering water, rubbish removal, communal electricity, and often district heating. You typically pay this directly to the building administrator (administrator bloc). Electricity for the apartment itself is a separate personal bill. Always clarify what's included in the rent and what's additional before signing.

It depends on your priorities. Bucharest: more international flights, larger expat community, bigger cultural and restaurant scene, more corporate offices. Cluj: cheaper, better quality of life, excellent tech scene, beautiful architecture, closer to Transylvania and mountains. Many expats initially choose Bucharest for logistics then move to Cluj for quality of life. A Cluj base with regular Bucharest or European flights for business is the increasingly popular model.

Short-term rentals are widely available in Bucharest and priced at €40–€90/night for a 1-BR. Useful for the first 2–4 weeks while searching for a long-term lease. The key principle: never use short-term Airbnb rates as a guide to long-term lease costs, which are significantly lower. The coliving options (Podstel, First Coliving) are also worth considering for the first 1–3 months as managed, community-oriented alternatives.