Moving to Prague: A Practical Guide

Praha 2 (Vinohrady, Nusle) — leafy, elegant, dining-rich. Popular with expat families and finance professionals. €1,200–€1,700 for a 1-bed flat.

Praha 7 (Letná, Holešovice) — hipster meets young families, riverfront parks, the National Gallery. €1,100–€1,500.

Praha 6 (Dejvice, Bubeneč) — embassy district, leafy, near Czech Technical University and Charles University Faculty of Architecture. Quieter and a bit more expensive. €1,200–€1,800.

Praha 5 (Smíchov, Anděl) — newer apartments, riverside, well-connected by metro. Younger crowd. €1,000–€1,400.

Praha 1 (Old Town, Malá Strana) — touristy, beautiful but expensive and noisy. €1,500–€2,500.

Praha 8 (Karlín) — formerly industrial, now booming. Best mid-range value. €1,000–€1,400.

Online platforms:

• sreality.cz — Czech-language, most listings
• bezrealitky.cz — owner-direct, no agency fee
• bydleni.cz — agency-listed, English-friendly

Agency fees: typically 1 month rent + 21% VAT. Some agencies advertise "no fee for tenant" — check carefully.

Deposit: usually 1–2 months rent Lease term: standard 12 months, often renewable Required from you: passport copy, Employee Card / visa, proof of employment, sometimes a Czech bank account

Insider tip: Czech landlords often prefer 6-month contracts initially; ask for 12-month with a 3-month break clause.

State schools (free, Czech-language) — automatic enrolment via your district. Czech as second language (čeština pro cizince) lessons available.

International schools (English-language) — €8,000–€22,000/year:

• International School of Prague (IB)
• Prague British International School
• Park Lane International School
• Sunny Canadian (bilingual Czech-English)

Bilingual schools — €3,000–€8,000/year:

• Open Gate Bilingual School
• Riverside School

Daycare (0–5) — public mateřské školy from age 3 are free or symbolic fee. Private bilingual daycares €450–€900/month.

Czechia's healthcare ranks Top-15 in Europe. Once on the Employee Card with a Czech employer you're enrolled in VZP (Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna) or your chosen insurer — full public cover, 13.5% of your gross salary auto-deducted (split 4.5% employee / 9% employer).

Family doctors — many speak English in central Prague. EuroClinic and Canadian Medical are expat-friendly private alternatives with shorter waits (€60–€100/visit, often covered by employer top-up insurance).

Emergency: 155 (ambulance) or 112 (general). All hospitals must accept any insurance card or treat unconditionally if life-threatening.

Prague has the best public transport in central Europe — €25/month for unlimited metro + tram + bus + funicular. Annual pass €145.

Car ownership not necessary in Prague unless commuting outside. If needed:

• Vignette (motorway sticker): CZK 2,440/year (~€100)
• Parking permit in your district: CZK 1,200–2,400/year
• Used car (2018 VW Golf): CZK 280,000–380,000 (~€11,300–€15,400)

Cycling — Prague has built ~120 km of cycle lanes since 2018. Nextbike + Rekola for shared bikes.

Inter-city travel — Czech rail (CD) covers everywhere; high-speed Pendolino Prague-Ostrava in 3:15h. Brno in 2:30h. Vienna 3:50h, Berlin 4h.