Living in Brasov, Romania as a Digital Nomad - What's it Like?

In our next interview with digital nomads who have experienced living in different countries around the world, we talk to Amy & Nathan from the couples travel blog Two Drifters. Being full-time travellers since 2011, Amy and Nathan have been to an impressive number of countries for both travel and a digital nomad lifestyle. Out of all of the countries visited, Romania remains close to their hearts and is one of their favourite countries to live and work from their laptops. We ask them 10 questions about their time living in Brasov, Romania.

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An Interview with Amy & Nathan from Two Drifters

What are the locals like?

The locals in Brasov are quite friendly and helpful. Most people speak some English, especially the younger crowd. The prevailing feeling was of pleasant, hardworking, and happy people.

How much does long-term accommodation cost? What options are there….apartments, villas, guesthouses?

We found an apartment on Airbnb for $500/month while living in Brasov. This was a small furnished studio with a stove and fridge. It was a good option for the 2 months we spent there, especially as it was right in the Centrul Vechi (Old Centre), but if you find an independent rental or book through a rental agency, you likely could find a place as low as $300/month.

What’s the average cost of food and drink? What’s the food like?

The food prices were excellent. Our weekly grocery bill did not top $50, and dining out could yield us dinner and drinks for 2 for under $20. Romanian food is rich and filling. There are plenty of traditional restaurants, but also other options such as Chinese restaurants, to-go salad bars, and a few vegetarian spots.

We drank coffee every day while living in Brasov, and our cappuccinos and lattes were always around $2.50. Now that we’re back in the USA, I cringe at our grocery costs. A bag full of apples here runs around $3.50-$4.00. In Brasov, shopping at the local Billa grocery store we could head home with the same size bag of apples for around $0.50. It was awesome!

What options are there for working online as a Digital Nomad? Is the Wi-Fi good? Is there co-working spaces/cafes etc?

Romania is known for some of the fastest WiFi in Europe. We never had a problem finding WiFi in cafes, pubs, and even in public spaces. We also had WiFi in our apartment. While we aren’t really into co-working spaces, we love love love cafes, and we went to all of Brasov’s. Always good WiFi, and plenty of electrical outlets in most places, too. You can check our list of our favourite Brasov coffee shops for inspiration on where to go. If you’re a digital nomad, you’ll never have a problem connecting when living in Brasov, Romania.

What’s the visa situation like for living in Brasov, Romania?

As US citizens, we were able to visit Romania for 90 days without obtaining a visa. We’re not sure about other passport holders. For more information on entry requirements for Romania check out this page.

Is there an expat & digital nomad community in Brasov?

We can’t speak to this, as we didn’t really take the time to make connections with this type of community. I would guess that there’s more of a digital nomad and expat community in Bucharest, however. I actually only encountered one or two people from North America during our entire 2 months in Brasov, which was kind of fun! It’s nice feeling more immersed.

How did you spend your free time?

Exploring the city (and the nearby castles) whenever we had the chance. We were there over Christmas time, so we also ventured into the Christmas market, enjoying sweet treats and live music.

What are your three favourite things about living in Brasov, Romania?

Low costs, a walkable, stunning European fairytale city and amazing coffee.

Is there anything you don’t like about living in Brasov, Romania?

Receiving mail was a bit of a challenge. We were sent a package from family in the USA which never arrived.

What one thing from home do you wish you could have with you while living in Brasov, Romania?

That’s a tough one! Honestly, I didn’t feel anything was lacking while we were there.

We really loved living in Brasov, and we recommend it to everyone!