WI-FI

Romania is known for having one of the fastest WiFi in Europe. Ranked in the top 10 in the world and 1st in Europe in terms of average Internet peak connection speed. 

Wifi is readily available pretty much anywhere like cafes, pubs, and even in public places.

Mobile Internet

You can purchase a prepaid SIM card with 2,000 local minutes/SMS and 9GB of domestic data for 10 Euros ($11.83 USD). Note that the Romanian network operators advertise their prices in euros, but the local currency is the Romanian Leu.

Some of the popular cell phone carriers in Romania are the following:

• Orange
• Vodafone
• Telekom
• Digi Mobil

MiFi

Another possibility for mobile internet access is a MiFi device, which creates a WiFi network for you. I have tested the GlocalMe device and think it’s a really useful addition of my travel equipment. You can either use it as an ordinary wireless router with up to two SIM cards (very useful if you work with mobile TANs, you want to be available on your local number or if you want to use the social networks with a 2-factor authentication) but you can also use it without a physical SIM card but with the built in cloudSIM technology (which is of course more expensive) in over 100 countries worldwide. Apart from that it’s also a 6000 mAh powerbank, which is never bad to have with you.

Living in Romania as a Digital Nomad

Airbnb*, hostels, and hotels are all great options for short term stays. Prices vary based on amenities and location. I was staying in Bucharest at an Airbnb for 10 Euro per night.

Romanians are friendly and open and foreigners are usually made very welcome. Chatting with visitors is very common for Romanians and they will find a way to communicate with you even if they cannot speak your language.

For a studio apartment or a one bedroom, the price is around 200-250 euros per month. Naturally, cheaper apartments will be smaller and perhaps not as renovated. Also if you live in the center of town, apartments will be pricier than those further away from the city center.  

Bucharest has a very dense network of transportation with buses and trams. The only problem is to figure out where the stops are and when the bus will arrive, which can be random sometimes. You’d probably rather stay next to a metro station and use the subway (15€ for a monthly card) or taxi (0,30€ / km) or Uber.

Regarding entertainment, there are lots of cool bars, concerts, events, sightseeing and more than meets the eye. Just start with a pint of beer in the center (around 2€)

Coworking Spaces

Commons Unirii: Commons is a dynamic network of fully-serviced coworking spaces. Our informal lounge-like offices provide the perfect backdrop for creative and professional excellence while our vibrant and diverse community of Commoners offers exposure to like-minded people from all industries.

TechHub Bucharest: Helping startups get better faster, TechHub is no stand-alone operation. It is an international network of nurturing likeminded TECH entrepreneurs and providing the spaces for them to work, meet, collaborate, network, learn and have a bit of fun along the way.

Impact Hub: With more than 50 spaces, Impact Hub is one of the biggest chains of coworking spaces in the world. The space consists of a huge area with an event space and many meeting rooms around the sides.

Blog Posts About Romania

Unfortunately, I have only checked out Bucharest since I was doing research for my City Guide for Digital Nomads. But I had one guest blogger who wrote about places outside of Buchaest: