Money, Safety & eSIM in Romania
Romania's currency is the Romanian leu (RON) — it has not adopted the euro. As of mid-2026, $1 trades at roughly 4.5–4.7 RON (€1 at roughly 5.2 RON). Cards work almost everywhere in cities; carry some cash for rural guesthouses, markets, and smaller towns. Romania is safe overall for tourists — the main real risks are petty theft in crowded areas and driving hazards on rural and mountain roads, not violent crime.
The practical layer that quietly makes or breaks a Romania trip: how to handle leu vs. euros (don't just assume everywhere takes euros — it doesn't), what actually could go wrong, and how to stay connected without a surprise bill.
Money and currency
The Romanian leu (RON, informally 'lei') is the only official currency — Romania has not adopted the euro, despite being an EU and now full Schengen member. Some tourist-heavy businesses in Bucharest or Brasov may quote prices in euros informally, but you'll almost always pay in lei at the actual register. As of mid-2026, $1 trades at roughly 4.5–4.7 RON, and €1 at roughly 5.2 RON — check a live rate before your trip, since it moves.
| Payment method | Where it works best |
|---|---|
| Cash (lei) | Rural guesthouses, markets, small-town restaurants, some rural toll or parking fees |
| Credit/debit card | Hotels, restaurants and shops in Bucharest, Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj and other cities |
| Contactless/mobile pay | Widely accepted in cities, less reliable in rural Transylvania and Maramures villages |
ATMs are everywhere in cities and generally give a fair rate — avoid the 'dynamic currency conversion' prompt some ATMs and card terminals offer (paying in your home currency instead of lei); it almost always carries a worse exchange rate than letting your own bank convert it.
Is Romania safe?
Yes, by most measures — violent crime against tourists is rare, and Romania ranks reasonably well on international safety indices for the region. The realistic risks are pickpocketing in crowded tourist areas and on public transport, stray dogs in some cities (rarely aggressive, but startling if you're not expecting them), and driving hazards — rural roads can have potholes, slow farm vehicles, and stray livestock, and mountain roads like the Transfagarasan demand real attention.
Renting a car and driving
A rental car opens up Transylvania's smaller towns and the Transfagarasan in a way public transport can't match — expect roughly $25–45/day for a compact car. Romania drives on the right; a Rovinieta (road-use vignette, sold at gas stations and border crossings) is required on motorways and national roads and is easy to buy online in advance. Winter driving in the mountains requires genuine caution and, by law, winter tires or chains are mandatory in snowy conditions.
Driving fact worth knowing: Romania has a zero-tolerance blood alcohol limit for drivers — 0.00%, not the 0.05% buffer common elsewhere in Europe — so plan a designated non-drinking driver for any day that includes wine tasting (a Dealu Mare day trip, for instance) or a long mountain drive. Speed cameras and unmarked police cars are also common on both motorways and rural roads, and a fine issued to a rental car typically has to be settled before you leave the country, not billed quietly later.
eSIM and staying connected
eSIM is the easiest option if your phone supports it — Airalo and Holafly both sell Romania (or EU-wide) data plans from roughly $4–12 for a week or two, activated before you land. A physical local SIM (Orange, Vodafone, or Digi) from any airport kiosk or city phone shop costs similarly little and gives strong 4G/5G coverage in cities, with some patchier signal in remote mountain areas like parts of the Transfagarasan route.
Practical basics
- Tap water is generally safe to drink in Bucharest and major cities, though many locals and travelers still prefer bottled water out of habit — it's cheap and available everywhere.
- Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory — rounding up or adding roughly 10% at restaurants is the norm in tourist-frequented spots.
- Pharmacies (farmacie) are easy to find in any town and generally have English-speaking staff in cities.