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ter in less than 30 minutes, an uber in 15–20 minutes for about $5, or a public bus in about 30 min for 75 cents. Gas is expensive, as it is all over Europe, but you don’t need to use a car much unless you leave the city.</p><p id="4396">The Cinema cost about 4 euros per ticket. Local beer at a brewery is 3-7 euros. A meal at a decent restaurant is between 14-20 euros. There are also common U.S. food chains such as Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, and Taco Bell. A membership at a local gym (18 Gym — like Gold’s gym) costs about$ 25/month. A 1-hour sports massage is about $20.</p><p id="f9d4">Cluj also has a small airport with international flights to Istanbul, Frankfurt, Milan, and many secondary other airports around Europe. No direct flights to the US. Bucharest has an international airport that goes to most major destinations.</p><figure id="cac5"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*3dN9bshojJKQNmy3.jpg"><figcaption><a href="https://nextjourneys.com/2021/01/07/via-transilvanica/">Via Transilvanica or Romania’s Camino</a></figcaption></figure><h2 id="3a07">Life in Cluj</h2><p id="c5d8">You don’t really need to learn the Romanian language if you don’t want to. Just about everyone speaks some English, and almost everyone under 35 speaks English well. There is cable TV with English channels, and all the movies at the cinema are in English with subtitles.</p><p id="20cc">Cluj is a fairly large city (for Europe) with a number of open fairs, festivals, and other activities.</p><p id="d419">The countryside is really beautiful. Cluj is in Transilvania, in the Carpathian mountains. You can visit a number of Romanian castles, including “Dracula’s” castle. There are ski resorts North of here too. The government just initiated a walking trail through Romania called the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfuxtnGjy4M">Via Transilvania (1400 km)</a> that is supported by hostels.</p><p id="76a8">Romania is very safe as far as crime is concerned.</p><h2 id="395e">Challenges</h2><p id="dc69">The roads and highway infrastructure is pretty bad, and it generally takes a lot longer to get to places outside of Cluj by road than it should. Roads around Bucharest are better.</p><h2 id="5857">U.S. Government Pensions are Not Taxed</h2><p id="84b3">I’ve been living off my military pension for the last four years and am not required to pay taxes due to the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-trty/romania.pdf">U.S. — Romanian Tax Treaty</a>, ARticle 18.</p><blockquote id="8753"><p>ARTICLE 18 Governmental Functions Wages, salaries, and similar remuneration, including annuities or similar benef

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its, paid from public funds of one of the Contracting States to a citizen of that Contracting State for labor or personal services performed as an employee of the national government of that Contracting State, or any agency thereof, in the discharge of functions of a governmental nature shall be exempt from tax by the other Contracting State. Labor or personal services performed by a citizen of one of the Contracting States shall be treated by the other Contracting State as performed in the discharge of governmental functions if such labor or personal services would be treated under the internal laws of both Contracting States as so performed.</p></blockquote><h2 id="e9e0">Summary</h2><p id="95b4">Romania is not Western Europe, that’s true, but it is a modern, cheap staging ground to settle in while exploring Europe.</p><div id="74a5" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/@randall.surles/how-to-apply-for-a-romanian-long-stay-visa-8e644d5c9d56"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Apply for a Romanian Long Stay Visa</h2> <div><h3>It’s really not that hard</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*iChrgHjTOesAihpX)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="e113" class="link-block"> <a href="https://farewellalarms.com/how-i-failed-to-move-to-france-6264692aab6a"> <div> <div> <h2>How I Failed To Move To France</h2> <div><h3>A Cautionary Tale of Bad Planning and Bad Timing</h3></div> <div><p>farewellalarms.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*2mExi_DrPvmLjqaj)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="9942" class="link-block"> <a href="https://medium.com/@randall.surles/how-i-applied-for-my-long-term-visa-for-france-d818121ca3b8"> <div> <div> <h2>How I Applied for my Long Term Visa for France</h2> <div><h3>My journey and a couple of tips</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*C6sbRcZsoXBj4rzm)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Pros and Cons of Living in Romania

Truth be told, not too many Cons

I’ve lived here for four years, and to be honest, it’s not that bad. It’s not Western Europe, obviously, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. For those who are curious, this article will cover the cost of living, health insurance, U.S. government and military pensions, and life in Cluj.

Health Insurance

When you get your residency permit you have to buy into the country’s social medicine program, which is not the best. There is private healthcare available, the best is probably Regina maria.

General practitioner and Specialist appointments cost about $50 for an appointment. Blood tests vary but are generally under $50 (most half that price). Sonograms and Ultrasounds also cost under $50. Almost all medical professionals speak some English.

Cost of Living

Romania is not part of the Eurozone; however, many things are negotiated and contracted in Euros (such as my rent). The local currency is called RON and is valued as I write this at about 4.5 Ron to the U.S. dollar. In general, the cost of living is significantly lower than in the U.S.

A one-bedroom apartment with modern appliances (dishwasher, microwave, medium-sized fridge, washing machine but no dryer) in a nice part of Cluj (about 30 min walk from the center of town), which is the second largest city in Romania (and considered to be more expensive than the capital), is about 550 euros.

A two-room apartment on the ground floor with a yard (for dogs) costs about 900 euros. Appliances (electric, gas, internet) cost between 250-350 Euros. During COVID, prices rose nearly 30%.

Food is about 450 Euros for two people, also about a 30-40% increase since COVID.

You can get just about anywhere in the city on a scooter in less than 30 minutes, an uber in 15–20 minutes for about $5, or a public bus in about 30 min for 75 cents. Gas is expensive, as it is all over Europe, but you don’t need to use a car much unless you leave the city.

The Cinema cost about 4 euros per ticket. Local beer at a brewery is 3–7 euros. A meal at a decent restaurant is between 14–20 euros. There are also common U.S. food chains such as Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, and Taco Bell. A membership at a local gym (18 Gym — like Gold’s gym) costs about $25/month. A 1-hour sports massage is about $20.

Cluj also has a small airport with international flights to Istanbul, Frankfurt, Milan, and many secondary other airports around Europe. No direct flights to the US. Bucharest has an international airport that goes to most major destinations.

Life in Cluj

You don’t really need to learn the Romanian language if you don’t want to. Just about everyone speaks some English, and almost everyone under 35 speaks English well. There is cable TV with English channels, and all the movies at the cinema are in English with subtitles.

Cluj is a fairly large city (for Europe) with a number of open fairs, festivals, and other activities.

The countryside is really beautiful. Cluj is in Transilvania, in the Carpathian mountains. You can visit a number of Romanian castles, including “Dracula’s” castle. There are ski resorts North of here too. The government just initiated a walking trail through Romania called the Via Transilvania (1400 km) that is supported by hostels.

Romania is very safe as far as crime is concerned.

Challenges

The roads and highway infrastructure is pretty bad, and it generally takes a lot longer to get to places outside of Cluj by road than it should. Roads around Bucharest are better.

U.S. Government Pensions are Not Taxed

I’ve been living off my military pension for the last four years and am not required to pay taxes due to the U.S. — Romanian Tax Treaty, ARticle 18.

ARTICLE 18 Governmental Functions Wages, salaries, and similar remuneration, including annuities or similar benefits, paid from public funds of one of the Contracting States to a citizen of that Contracting State for labor or personal services performed as an employee of the national government of that Contracting State, or any agency thereof, in the discharge of functions of a governmental nature shall be exempt from tax by the other Contracting State. Labor or personal services performed by a citizen of one of the Contracting States shall be treated by the other Contracting State as performed in the discharge of governmental functions if such labor or personal services would be treated under the internal laws of both Contracting States as so performed.

Summary

Romania is not Western Europe, that’s true, but it is a modern, cheap staging ground to settle in while exploring Europe.