Yes. The vast majority of vendors in Romania have a card terminal where you can pay with debit and credit cards. Romanian card readers work with chip and pin, similar to the point of sale systems in the UK.

Only in rural areas, most of them located in the North East of Romania near the Moldovan border, card payments may not be accepted so widely. This is especially the case in areas with a high share of Roma ethnics.

Contactless payments in Romania are available for purchases of up to 100 lei. For higher amounts you’ll need to enter your PIN code.

If you are going to pay by card in Romania: Be aware of currency conversion fees and bank fees for card payments: Your bank’s RON to GBP exchange rate may be not so competitive. This is how banks make money. Before using your bank card for payments in Romania, it’s certainly a good idea to contact your bank. This will avoid your card becoming blocked due to international transactions that your bank may find suspicious.

We recommend that you take some Romanian Leu cash with you on your trip to Romania. Especially if you plan to travel beyond Bucharest.

You’ll need cash for taxi rides, public transport, tipping, paying tour guides and for purchases from street vendors, on festivals and on traditional local markets, such as Piaţa Obor and Piaţa Matache.

Cash is a convenient and popular means of payment in Romania, and a great fallback option if card payments fail.

Romania is a great destination if you are looking for cheap prices: The average cost of living in Romania is 45% lower than the cost of living in the UK.

For a coffee in Bucharest expect to pay 7-9 lei. A three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant costs around 60-80 lei per person.

When eating and drinking out in Romania you are expected to leave a tip. An important part of waiters’ salaries is from tips.

If you are happy about the service, consider leaving a tip of 5-10% of the bill. Always tip in cash.