Moving to a new city can be overwhelming, and not knowing how much you’ll need to spend on essential services, such as housing or food, can cause concern. But worry not! We’ve put together a comprehensive guide of some of the most common expenses you’ll have to incur when moving to Prague.
Cost of living in Prague
Housing
Rental prices vary from one neighborhood to another. While we don’t recommend living in the city center (Prague 1) –higher prices, lots of tourists, noisy–, there are many other areas not far away from the center which are much nicer to live in. Our top pick for expats: Vinohrady, Žižkov, Vršovice, Karlín and Holešovice. The average price for a 50 m2 furnished apartment in these neighborhoods is around 20,000 CZK/month.
But of course, you can find cheaper options if you search further away from the center, where the average price drops to 13,000 CZK/month for a flat of the same kind.
On occasion, utilities are not included in the rental price, so be prepared to add an extra 3,000 CZK approximately to your monthly bill.
Food
It’s hard to provide an estimate of how much you’ll need to spend on food every month, as each person is different with their own needs and preferences. However, here’s what you could expect to pay for some of the most basic products at local supermarket chains such as Albert or Billa.
- Tomatoes (1 kg): 60 CZK
- Eggs L (10 units): 37 CZK
- Milk (1L): 14 CZK
- Chicken breast (1 kg): 160 CZK
As for dining out, despite the fact that prices have rocketed in the past couple of years, Prague restaurants still remain some of the cheapest across Central Europe. Lunch menus are often less than 200 CZK/person, including a soup and a main dish. Prices are a bit higher for dinner, but still very affordable. You can expect to pay around 250 CZK for a burger at a restaurant, or between 200-280 CZK for a pizza at a good Italian pizza place.
Transport
Transportation in Prague is pretty cheap compared to other European cities, and very efficient as well. There are different types of passes, depending on how often you need to use the public transport (see prices below for the most popular options). They are all valid on the subway, bus and trams.
- Single ticket (30 min): 30 CZK
- Single ticket (90 min): 40 CZK
- Monthly pass: 550 CZK
- Annual pass: 3,650 CZK
Note that these fares only apply to Prague metropolitan area (zones P, 0 & B). Check this link for commuting to suburban areas.
Entertainment
Here again, your own personal preferences will determine how much you’ll spend on social and leisure activities. But here’s a list of some of the most common expenses:
- A glass of Czech beer at a local pub (0.5 L): 45 CZK
- A cup of cappuccino: 70 CZK
- Gym membership (1 month): 1,300 CZK
- 1 movie ticket: 200 CZK
- Czech lessons (1 month, 3 hours/week): 2,300 CZK
Clothing
Just like in any other city in the world, clothing prices will depend on each specific store or brand. But to give you an idea, this is what you can expect to pay for some basic items at stores like Zara or H&M:
- A pair of jeans: between 500-800 CZK
- Basic t-shirt: between 120-300 CZK
- A pair of boots: between 900-2,500 CZK
- A pair of sneakers: between 600-1,000 CZK
Coworking
In the past couple of years, we’ve witnessed a sharp increase in the number of people who have the opportunity to work remotely. If you’re one of them and you’re moving to Prague, you might want to join a coworking space that helps you focus on your work while making connections easily in a new city. There is plenty of choice, and the average price for a flexible desk is around 4,500 CZK per month with unlimited access.
That said, your best bet would be to try out Locus Workspace, which stands out for its diverse international community, with members coming from more than 20 different countries around the world and English as the main language for communication (no need to worry if you don’t speak a word of Czech!). With competitive prices and a cozy working space where you can boost your productivity, we’re pretty sure it will be love at first sight (alright, you might think we’re a bit biased, but all you need to do is read our reviews to see that we’re not lying!).
Cost calculator
Needless to say that these prices can change pretty quickly. That’s why it would be a good idea to keep up to date with a good cost calculator. We recommend Expatistan for the most accurate and up-to-date data. Not only can you check the cost of living in Prague, but you can also compare it to your hometown, or any other city in the world, and see how much more expensive/cheaper it is – just perfect for getting a great overview of overall prices. And, guess what? This tool was developed by a Locus member!
