Romania or Slovakia
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| Romania | Slovakia | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | $ 38 692 |
| Citizenship | 8 years | 8 years |
| Partner can work | yes | yes |
| Parents | difficult | difficult |
| Pets | no trouble | difficult |
| Pet limit | 5 | 5 |
| Quarantine | no | no |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 899 · estimate | $ 1 263 |
| Basket | $ 26,8 | $ 35,8 |
| Life expectancy | 76.46 | 78.37 |
| Homicides/100k | 1.12 | 1.07 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 3.5 | 2.4 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: Romania — 95, Slovakia — 20. Types present in both: work, study, family and repatriation. Romania adds: remote work, investment, talent, job seeking and working holiday. Slovakia adds: startup.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
Romania: the fee is 300 EUR wherever it is published. Routes stating an income threshold: 1; the lowest is 500 EUR a month. Routes with a published decision deadline: 91; the shortest is 30 days. Slovakia: fees range from 50 to 350 EUR. Routes with a published decision deadline: 17; the shortest is 15 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: both after 5 years. Citizenship: both after 8 years. Romania allows a second citizenship, Slovakia does not.
Romania in brief
An EU and Schengen country with a large tech sector and a low cost of living; held back by high seismic risk (Bucharest especially), an 8-year route to citizenship with a language requirement, and systemic corruption.
Slovakia in brief
An EU, eurozone and Schengen country in the middle of Europe with a moderate cost of living, low violent crime and a tech sector in Bratislava and Košice (average tech salary around €34k gross a year). EU long-term residence is available after 5 years. Held back by citizenship only after 8 years of continuous permanent residence with compulsory Slovak, restrictions on dual citizenship, an antibody titre test for pets from countries outside the EU rabies list, and river flooding as the main natural threat.
Other comparisons
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This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.