Bucharest, according to the Imobiliare.ro index, September 2026. An asking price, not a transaction price.
The buyer pays a notary and a 0.15% registration fee, and on a new apartment from a developer also 21% VAT.
Usable area or built area? A price per m² is worth something only when you know which m² it refers to.
Up to 70% of the price for non-residents, equity of at least 30%, subject to bank approval.
In Bucharest, most from before 1940. With a resale apartment in an old building, check the class before you sign.
An apartment in Romania: the short answer
Foreigners, including Israelis, can buy an apartment in Romania and register it in their own name in the land register, with no residency and no local company. With an apartment, unlike a villa, the land restriction for foreigners makes almost no difference. A new apartment in Bucharest cost about €2,549 per m² on average in September 2026, according to the Imobiliare.ro index. Romania has no purchase tax on the buyer: you pay a notary fee and a land register fee of 0.15%, and on a new apartment from a developer also 21% VAT. A Romanian bank can finance up to 70% of the price, subject to bank approval.
I am Moti Azulay. Together with lawyer Ilan Leibovitch we build villas in Balotești, north of Bucharest, not apartments. Precisely because of that, I can write this guide with no interest in selling you a particular apartment: what is worth checking, where to look, and what to watch out for.
The broad guide to all property types is in Real estate in Romania: the complete guide.
Which city to buy an apartment in Romania
Most buyers from abroad, Israelis among them, start in Bucharest, and that is no coincidence. It is the capital, the largest and most active market, and there are daily direct flights to it from Tel Aviv of about two and a half hours. It has also recently overtaken Cluj-Napoca, which for years was the most expensive city in Romania. Our guide to real estate in Bucharest · Flights from Israel.
Cluj-Napoca, Brașov and Timișoara are active markets, with universities and industry. For buyers coming from Israel, Bucharest has a practical advantage: an international airport, an existing Israeli and Jewish community, and most of the lawyers, notaries and banks that work with foreigners. The Jewish community in Bucharest.
How much an apartment in Romania costs
These are the figures for Bucharest, the market most foreign buyers look at, each with a source and a date:
| Figure | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| New apartment in Bucharest, asking price | about €2,549 per m² | Imobiliare.ro index, 10.09.2026 |
| Resale apartment in Bucharest, asking price | about €2,259 per m² | Imobiliare.ro index, July 2026 |
| The most expensive neighborhoods: Primăverii, Kiseleff, Aviatorilor | €5,638 · €5,632 · €5,541 per m² | Imobiliare.ro, Q2 2026 |
| The cheapest neighborhood in the analysis: Ferentari | about €1,389 per m² | Imobiliare.ro, Q2 2026 |
These are asking prices in listings, not transaction prices, and the gap between neighborhoods is roughly fourfold. So a city average says almost nothing about a specific apartment: you compare similar apartments on the same street. Bucharest apartment prices 2026 · The best neighborhoods in Bucharest.
Past data does not guarantee the future. I present it so you understand where the market stands, not to predict where it will go.
Apartments for sale in Romania: where to look and how to read a listing
Most apartments for sale are listed on the imobiliare.ro and Storia portals. Before you fall in love with an apartment, check three things in the listing:
- Which m². Suprafață utilă is the floor area without the walls, and suprafață construită includes the walls. A price per m² is worth something only when you know which m² it refers to.
- The finish level. La roșu is the shell, la gri and la alb are intermediate stages, and la cheie is "turnkey". An apartment that is cheap "per m²" is sometimes simply an unfinished apartment.
- Intabulat. The apartment is registered in the land register. Without that there is no deal.
I took apart all the terms in our guide to Romanian property listings. And two more things worth knowing in advance:
- Agent commission. It usually ranges from 1% to 4% of the deal value, and no law sets who pays. Agree it in writing before the first viewing. Real estate agent commission in Romania.
- The foreigner premium. A buyer on a short visit often pays 10% to 25% above the market. How to check a price yourself.
A new apartment from a developer or a resale
A new apartment from a developer is sold with 21% VAT and with a warranty, and is built to the current P100 seismic code. When you buy off-plan, Law 207/2025 (the "Nordis law") requires the advance payments to go into a dedicated project account, with caps by construction stage. The Nordis law checklist.
A resale apartment from a private person is sold without VAT, and you can move in right away. In an old building in Bucharest you check the seismic risk class: the official list has more than 400 buildings in seismic risk class I, the "red dot", and most of them were built before 1940. Earthquake risk in Bucharest.
A price per m² is worth something only when you know which m² it refers to.
The first question to ask any seller: "Does the price include VAT?" On a new apartment, the gap between the two answers is about a fifth of the price. Off-plan or ready · VAT on a new apartment.
How to buy an apartment in Romania from abroad
The process is orderly, and most of it can also be done remotely:
- A tax identification number (NIF) and a Romanian bank account. NIF · Bank account for a non-resident.
- Checking the apartment: a land register extract, encumbrances, and the building permit for a new apartment. The legal check before signing.
- A preliminary contract, followed by signing before a notary and entry in the land register. Only after registration is the apartment really yours. The preliminary contract · The notary.
- If you do not come: the signing at the notary cannot be done remotely, but you can give a notarial power of attorney with an apostille. Power of attorney.
All the stages in detail: Buying property in Romania as a foreigner. An independent lawyer of your own, who is not the seller's lawyer, is not a luxury. How to choose a lawyer.
What it costs beyond the price, and how to finance it
| Item | How much |
|---|---|
| Purchase tax | None in Romania |
| VAT on a new apartment from a developer | 21% |
| VAT on a resale apartment from a private person | Does not apply |
| Land register fee | 0.15% of the price |
| Notary fee | By an official sliding scale, plus VAT |
Property buying costs in Romania · How much it costs to hold a property in Romania.
Financing. Romanian banks lend to non-residents up to 70% of the price, meaning equity of at least 30%, subject to bank approval. A lei mortgage is usually linked to the IRCC index, which stands at 5.57% from October 2026. A mortgage in Romania for foreign buyers · Monthly payment calculator.
Taxes in Israel. Israeli residents report a property abroad, and sometimes an apartment in Romania affects "single home" status in Israel. Property taxation in Romania and Israel · Single home and purchase tax in Israel.
Apartment or villa?
An apartment gives you the city, public transport and a lower entry price, with building fees and less maintenance. A villa, mainly in the northern suburbs of Bucharest, gives you space, a garden and privacy, but requires a car, maintenance of your own and attention to how the land is registered.
We chose to build villas: Compass on the Lake, 29 villas with a private garden by a lake in Balotești, about 25 minutes from central Bucharest. But those who want city life and a metro within walking distance need an apartment, and that is perfectly fine. Villa or apartment in Bucharest.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an apartment in Romania cost?
It depends a great deal on the city and the neighborhood. In Bucharest, the largest market, a new apartment cost about €2,549 per m² on average in September 2026, according to the Imobiliare.ro index. In the expensive neighborhoods in the north of the city the asking price exceeds €5,500 per m², and in cheap neighborhoods in the south it is below €1,400.
Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Romania?
Yes. Israelis and other foreigners buy apartments in Romania and register them in their own name in the land register, with no residency and no local company. The restriction for foreigners concerns land, so it matters mainly with villas and private houses.
Where do you find apartments for sale in Romania?
Most apartments are listed on the imobiliare.ro and Storia portals, and some through agents. Before comparing prices, check which m² the price refers to, what the finish level is, and whether the apartment is registered in the land register.
Does buying an apartment in Romania give you citizenship?
No. Buying an apartment in Romania does not confer citizenship. Romanian citizenship for Israelis is possible mainly by descent, for descendants of former Romanian citizens. Romanian citizenship for Israelis.
Can you get a mortgage on an apartment in Romania?
Yes. Romanian banks lend to non-residents up to 70% of the price, subject to bank approval and an income check. The bank sends its own valuer to check the apartment.
Do I need to fly to Romania to buy an apartment?
Not necessarily. You can sign through a notarial power of attorney with an apostille. Most buyers still come at least once, to see the apartment and the neighborhood with their own eyes.
The bottom line
An apartment in Romania, and especially in Bucharest, is a deal you can check all the way: the price against similar apartments on the same street, the registration in the land register, the VAT, and the building itself. Those who check these four things, without the pressure of a short visit, buy better.
If you are looking at an apartment in Romania right now and want a second pair of eyes, book a half-hour call with me. We will go through the listing, the numbers and the legal questions together, even if in the end you buy an apartment we have nothing to do with.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: Imobiliare.ro price index · Ziarul Financiar: the most expensive neighborhoods in Bucharest, Q2 2026 · National Bank of Romania (BNR): IRCC index · Romanian legislation portal: Law 207/2025, Housing Law 114/1996 and the Fiscal Code · AMCCRS, the list of buildings at seismic risk · National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI) · Israel Tax Authority.
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Prices are average asking prices for orientation, and the data is correct as of October 2026 and may change. Past data does not guarantee future price changes. Before a deal, consult a lawyer and an accountant.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
