Rents have gone up in Romania in the past two years, ranging from EUR 160 to EUR 7,000 per month in big cities. Of course, the size of the house and the neighborhood make the difference.
The upward trend of the rent prices have been related to the fact that the multi national corporations started to promote Romanians for the top positions initially held by foreigners. Against this trend, the share of the Romanian tenants in residential districts has almost doubled in the past two years. The expats remain of a majority, but renting premium apartments demand is increasing more and more from the Romanian corporationers and entrepreneurs.
Owners yet prefer foreign tenants, as they are willing to pay a rent higher by 30% than the locals, according to Nordis group.
For instance in Bucharest, in luxury districts such as Baneasa, Herastrau, Primaverii or Aviatorilor, the rents start from EUR 500 per month for a two-room apartment and can climb to EUR 7,000 for penthouses.
According a recent study by imobiliare.ro, a bedsit in Bucharest can be rented for EUR 221 per month this year, while two-room apartments are found at EUR 300 in July, 2% up compared to January.
In Cluj-Napoca, another major university center, rents increased as quickly as the house prices. A bedsit in Cluj can be rented for EUR 200 per month, 11% more than in January, a two-room apartment climbed to EUR 330 per month, up by 14% compared to January and no less than 32% against the summer of 2015.
Rents have seen a consistent increase also in Timisoara. Two-room apartments are found for EUR 270 per month, 17% more than in January. The rent for bedsits was up by 7% against January, climbing to EUR 160.
The bedsit rents were also up by 7 percent in Iasi, reaching EUR 190 per month, while the rents for houses with two rooms are constant at EUR 250 per month.