Safest cities in Romania
17 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in RomaniaAlthough there’s no recent history of terrorism in Romania, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Political situation and demonstrations
- There is widespread military activity in neighbouring Ukraine. See Ukraine travel advice.
Crime
- Protecting your belongingsBe alert to petty theft in large towns, especially Bucharest. Thieves use distraction techniques and can carry out organised attacks in groups. Take care of your passport, money and personal belongings, particularly:
- Drink spikingThere is a risk of drink spiking in bars and clubs. Be careful not to take drinks from strangers or leave your drinks unattended.
Laws and cultural differences
- Illegal drugsIllegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties. You should expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling illegal drugs, including when transiting through the airport.
- Using cameras in secure areasMost airports and military bases have signs banning photography. If you’re not sure if photography is allowed, ask permission.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex relationships are legal in Romania. There are active LGBT+ communities and events in Romania, though the majority of LGBT+ people are not open. Find information on LGBT+ issues in Romania and read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
Transport risks
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in Romania, see information on driving abroad and check the rules of the road in the RAC’s Romania guide. The guide lists driving regulations and other legal requirements you need to be aware of, such as:
- Driving conditionsRoad conditions are variable and roads can be in a bad state of repair. Driving standards can be poor. Look out for:
- Accidents and vehicle damageYou must get a report at the scene of an accident in Romania. If your vehicle is damaged before you arrive in the country, ask a Romanian customs officer or police officer to write a report on the damage. Doing this will help you avoid problems when you leave Romania.
- Toll roadsYou must pay a road toll ‘rovinieta’ to use the national roads. Buy a vignette at border points and at most petrol stations. If you do not purchase the vignette, you may get a heavy fine.
- TaxisMost taxis in Bucharest should list prices on the side of the vehicle and display a company name. Taxi drivers sometimes overcharge foreign visitors. Taxi apps such as Uber and Bolt are generally reliable.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- EarthquakesRomania is in a seismically active area and tremors happen regularly. The last major earthquake was in 1977. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency website has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for Romania, updated 2026-08-11 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 1.12 /100k2024
- Income inequality
- Gini 29.82023
- Human development
- HDI 0.8452023
- Income
- $49,550/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 10.3 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 69/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 63/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 45/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 2.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.80GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 16.0 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 82%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 3.6 doctors /1k7.2 hospital beds per 1,000
Natural hazards
- Earthquake
- 6.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Flood
- 6.2/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 2.8/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Romania (as of 2025).
How Romania compares
| Measure | Romania | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 1.1 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −1.3 /100k — better for Romania |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 29.8 | 35.2 | −5.4 — better for Romania |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.845 | 0.763 | +0.082 — better for Romania |
| Road deaths | 10.3 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −5.1 /100k — better for Romania |
| Rule of law | 63/100 | 52/100 | +11/100 — better for Romania |
| Corruption perceptions | 45/100 | 39/100 | +6/100 — better for Romania |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 16.0 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | −3.7 µg/m³ — better for Romania |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.8/10 | 3.8/10 | −1.0/10 — better for Romania |
| Measure | Romania | Europe median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 1.1 /100k | 1.0 /100k | +0.1 /100k — better for Europe median |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 29.8 | 30.7 | −0.9 — better for Romania |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.845 | 0.911 | −0.067 — better for Europe median |
| Road deaths | 10.3 /100k | 5.5 /100k | +4.8 /100k — better for Europe median |
| Rule of law | 63/100 | 74/100 | −11/100 — better for Europe median |
| Corruption perceptions | 45/100 | 57/100 | −12/100 — better for Europe median |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 16.0 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | +4.8 µg/m³ — better for Europe median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.8/10 | 2.5/10 | +0.3/10 — better for Europe median |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 17 cities, safest first
- Bucharest93.0 · #9 worldwide
- Timișoara80.9 · #1803 worldwide
- Cluj-Napoca80.9 · #1804 worldwide
- Iași80.9 · #1805 worldwide
- Constanța80.9 · #1806 worldwide
- Craiova80.9 · #1807 worldwide
- Brasov80.9 · #1808 worldwide
- Ploiești80.9 · #1809 worldwide
- Oradea80.9 · #1810 worldwide
- Pitești80.9 · #1811 worldwide
- Sibiu80.9 · #1812 worldwide
- Bacău80.9 · #1813 worldwide
- Târgu Mureș80.9 · #1814 worldwide
- Arad80.9 · #1815 worldwide
- Baia Mare79.0 · #1989 worldwide
- Brăila75.0 · #2826 worldwide
- Galați74.7 · #2843 worldwide