Cost of Living in Prague: A Detailed Breakdown from Our Month-Long Stay

Prague frequently tops the charts of “best cities to visit,” but does it top the charts for affordability? My family (wife, son, and yours truly) spent a full month living in the Czech capital to find out. We moved our home base here for the month of June, coming after one month in Valencia, looking to escape the heat and see if the hype was real.

If you read this blog, you know that it wasn’t really the case. While it is definitely a nice city visit or live in, I personally consider Prague overrated. But this is not the point of today’s article!

Instead, let’s jump straight into the cost of living in Prague and everything else you should know before traveling here – for one month, longer, or a shorter amount of time.

Our living expenses in Prague for the month

We tracked everything. Below is exactly what we spent for the month of June. Keep in mind this was during peak season, which heavily influenced accommodation costs (and probably some other tourist-related stuff):

All in all, we ended the month spending over 4,200 Euros, which might seem like a lot, but it’s to be expected in this expensive city AND during the peak season. Since we used cash on many occasions, I probably forgot to write down ALL the expenses, so in reality, it’s probably a bit more.

However, our food costs were relatively low because we cooked at home often. If we had eaten out for every meal, that number would have doubled.

All in all, our Prague living expenses of €4,000 for the month translate to around €130 per day for the three of us, which is “not great, not terrible.”

Let’s look at the specifics so you can adjust this budget for your own lifestyle.

First, Getting to Prague

I don’t like to, but I have to admit it: I’m a wuss and I am really scared of flying. Therefore, even though this greatly reduces our options when it comes to traveling the world, I always prefer to take a train (as we did for our epic train Euro-trip) or a bus, or a boat, or even walk. Anything as long as I’m not up in the air, ha!

As a result, what could’ve been an easy three-hour flight from home to Prague turned into a 3-day train ride: we first went to Timisoara, Romania; then we took the train to Budapest, Hungary; finally, we took the train from there to Prague.

Our return trip was similar – but with a pit stop of a few days in Bratislava instead – a good excuse to check out the city a bit (read about Devin Castle in Bratislava here).

I personally love riding the train and I have nothing against embarking on longer journeys, but traveling with a 6 year old has its limitations, so we decided to split a long ride into fewer ones of around or under 6 hours and it worked well for us. If you are braver, you can definitely go for the longer rides.

Accommodation: The Biggest Expense

Cost: €2,559 (31 nights)
Type: 2-Bedroom Apartment

We almost always rent an apartment when staying for longer periods of time – it’s easier (thanks to cooking at home) and, well… more homey.

Early on, we used AirBnb almost exclusively, but lately I started choosing Booking.com for apartment rentals, as there are, usually, better deals there. So definitely check more options before picking your place!

The place we found was in a great area – within walking distance to the old town. It was located in Prague’s second district, a few minutes of walking away from the Narodni Museum (Prague’s National Museum) and the Train Station.

Location is extremely important, so make sure you’re booking a place close to wherever you want to be. When traveling, that’s usually the city center, since that’s where all the good stuff is.

Here are some more photos of our apartment – it was really nice, without a doubt!

But this also meant that we had to pay a premium: location, large & nice place, the beginning of the tourist season (and not booking a few months in advance). In other words, for the two bedroom apartment we lived in, we paid a whooping €2559.27 (for 31 nights between June 6th to July 7th).

While this seems (and IS) a lot, we initially looked at Amsterdam, but similar short-term rentals there were around €9,000 per month. (Yes, prices are crazy these days!)

Recommendation: If you want to keep costs lower, and location still good, look for apartments in Prague 3 (Žižkov) or Prague 7 (Holešovice). They are trendy, safe, only 10 minutes from the center by tram, and often 20-30% cheaper than where we stayed.

All in all, though, if you want to get the best deal possible, make sure to book your stay WELL in advance, at least several months before arrival. If you delay it too much, like I did, prices will be even higher.

Food Costs: Groceries & Restaurants

Total Spend: €945
Eating Out: ~3 times per week

We kept this number reasonable by hitting the supermarkets. Groceries in Prague are still decently priced compared to Western Europe, though inflation has hit Czechia hard in recent years.

If we were to eat out more often than we did, which was lunch/dinner around 3 times per week (so around 12 times total, maybe a bit more, including eating out at pizzerias, which are cheaper), we would’ve spent A LOT more on food.

Eating out at a regular restaurant in Czechia can still be done for around €50 per meal for two people (and a half, let’s say – our son, being 7 when we visited, rarely ate a full meal and usually shared ours).

Transportation: The Best Deal in Town

Total Spend: €80

While I found the traffic chaotic (pedestrians, cars, and trams all fighting for space), the public transport system itself is incredible and cheap.

We walked a lot, but when we didn’t, we used the Metro and Trams almost exclusively (I think we only took an Uber once, when we visited the Aquapark).

• The App You Need: Download PID Lítačka. You can buy tickets instantly on your phone, making everything a lot easier.
• The Monthly Pass: If you are staying for a month, buy the monthly coupon for 550 CZK (approx €23). It is an absolute steal and covers all trams, buses, and the metro. Kids only pay 130 CZK.
• Don’t Forget: Validate your paper ticket if you don’t use the app. Inspectors are real, and they target tourists.

Attractions & Activities: High Value for Money

Total Spend: €528

For a family of three, spending just over €500 on entertainment for a whole month feels like a steal. We didn’t hold back, either. We visited plenty of museums, galleries, the famous Prague Zoo (consistently ranked among the best in the world), and spent a full day at the Aquapalace Praha.

Note on the Aquapark: It is awesome, but it is not cheap. A family ticket is around €125 for a full day (if you go during the week) – and you’ll spend more on food and ice cream and beverages. I recommend getting your ticket online here.

We also took advantage of the many free things to do in Prague to keep costs low, but also entertainment high:

• Stromovka Park: We organized a picnic here, and it was a highlight of the trip. Huge, green, and full of locals just living their lives.
• Walking the City: You can spend days just walking around the Old Town and the Castle District without spending a penny. The architecture is free to admire and there are always interesting things to discover.
• Naplavka Riverbank: Great for an evening stroll by the Vltava river.

If you are budget-conscious, mix the paid big-ticket items (Zoo, Castle interiors. Aquapark) with free park days. It balances out perfectly.

Read more about Prague:

• Best restaurants in Prague & prices
• Prague’s top attractions

Thoughts & impressions about living in Prague

Czechia’s capital is undoubtedly beautiful. The architecture, its parks, the natural beauty with the Vltava river running through the middle… everything adds up for a really nice city indeed.

But, for some reason, it didn’t click with me. I remember that when we got off the train and arrived in the city center, I really wanted to love it. I liked the buildings, I liked the atmosphere, I understood its beauty, but for some reasons it just didn’t click. No idea why.

We were treated nicely and had absolutely no problems with anything during our stay there – and even though the public transportation system is chaotic, with pedestrians and cars going around trams and buses, there are no real reasons for you to complain, except for maybe the high prices.

We also let a lot of things unseen: Prague has a ton of attractions to offer and even though we were out and about almost on a daily basis, we still haven’t covered them all. But I don’t think I would ever want to come back and pick up where we left off.

I know that many people disagree: many absolutely love Prague and consider it the most beautiful place on earth. And it is beautiful. There are a lot of great things to see and do. For visiting, the city is definitely a good choice.

But despite all that glam and the cleanliness and the eye candy, there is something that doesn’t click with me, my personality or who knows what.

After Prague, I visited the small Serbian city of Kladovo – a town with under 10,000 people and I instantly loved it, as soon as I set foot there. And there’s absolutely no way to compare the two cities, with the Serbian one being a lot less impressive in terms of architectural beauty, attractions and tourism. Yet, it clicked with me like Prague never managed to.

Even on our way back home, we stopped for a few days in Bratislava – a city everybody told me that is not spectacular and has nothing to offer. But I absolutely loved it and liked it better than Prague! So yes, some cities feel better for some people and not so much for others.

Czechia’s capital is indeed beautiful, it has a lot to offer, it is even spectacular here and there, but for me it didn’t have that bit of magic to make me love it like I love Budapest, for example… or anything truly memorable.

But it’s OK – we can’t just love all the places in the World.

Over to you: Have you lived in Prague or are you planning a trip? Did you find it magical, or did you have a similar experience to ours? Drop a comment below – I’d love to hear your take!