Prague is more expensive than 75% of Eastern European capitals and major cities but that does not mean it’s not affordable. Below we made a handy summary of most of the expenses you might encounter.
What is the average salary in Prague?
The average salary in Prague is nothing to write home about at roughly 1190€ but this is offset by relatively affordable costs of living.
What is the average rent in Prague?
Nothing changes the prices of an apartment like its size and location so to really understand the average prices of accommodation in Czech republic, we have to break it down a little.
- One-bedroom apartment in the city center costs about 780€ whilst the same apartment costs about 200€ less if you don’t mind living on the outskirts.
- Similarly, a three-bedroom apartment in the center is roughly 1300€ but 400€ cheaper on the outskirts.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Prague?
Restaurants
Estimates vary, but the overall figure could be pinned to about 1300 € per month for a single person, and to about 2600€ per month for a family of four. But these estimates are often less than helpful as the true costs of living in any city depends on one’s individual needs. To help you calculate your individual monthly expenditure in Prague we have to look at a few key areas on your budget.
After rent, the most expensive item on the budget is food. A meal in an inexpensive restaurant costs about 6€ (with fast-food restaurants going even lower) whilst a meal for two in a mid-range restaurant of a three-course meal can go all the way up to 30€.
Groceries
Groceries, such as a kilo of apples or bananas is about 1,2€, a dozen eggs are roughly 1,7€, and a liter of milk costs 0,75€.
Find perfect apartments for rent in Prague
Transportation
Next up is transportation, where many budgets can inflate to bursting. In Prague, it’s often more affordable and even faster to use the public transportation system (such as trams, busses, and metro) instead of driving around.
Both because of monthly costs and convenience, since parking in Prague can get tricky. The costs are 1,27€ per liter of gas and 22€ for a monthly ticket for public transport in Prague. And if you buy an annual ticket, the cost can be at about 19€ per month, though of course, it can be a lot to pay upfront.
Entertainment
What would stay in a new city be without a good dose of entertainment? So one must also remember to factor in some expenses in that area. Two movie tickets cost about 17€ whilst two theatre-goers will be expected to pay up to 57€ per performance.
A monthly gym membership is averaging at about 37€, but if you’re more into lifting drinks than weights, then you’ll be happy to know that a half a liter of beer (a bit more than one pint) costs only 1,38€ and a cocktail in a nice club is roughly 6€.
Cost of living in Prague for students
Student budgets tend to be rather small but that shouldn’t stop anyone from living abroad. Rather, it’s good to make some adjustments to one’s budget. The first place to start is the rent.
Student accommodation go as low as 130€ per month and if you need a little bit more privacy, a private room in a student flat is only about 100€ more.
Food is also cheaper for students since they can take advantage of student canteens with discounts. An average lunch in a canteen costs about 2€ and if you know how to cook, your lunches can be even cheaper. Even entertainment can be pretty affordable, but it needs a bit more searching.
A small beer in local pub can go as low as 1,1€, but you’ll have to ask your classmates to steer you in the right direction. All in all, the costs can be between 300€ to 670€ depending on what you’re prepared to go without or save some money on.
Cost of living in Prague for expats
Expats will have much the same expenses as detailed above, but there might be a few more fees to take into account, such as Visa, admin fee, and ID fee (together about 120€). There’s also the recognition of your prior education (sometimes together with a translation of your degree) which is roughly 90€.
