Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovy Vary and Plzen Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovy Vary and Plzen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,530 in Karlovy Vary versus $1,844 in Plzen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,488 in Karlovy Vary versus $2,549 in Plzen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,447 in Karlovy Vary versus $3,254 in Plzen.

Living in Karlovy Vary costs roughly 17% less than in Plzen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karlovy Vary 11% above, Plzen 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.59 Kč 199

$10.94 Kč 227

-12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.86 Kč 953

$53.4 Kč 1,110

-14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 Kč 193

$9.79 Kč 203

-5.31%

Cappuccino

$3.11 Kč 64.6

$3.31 Kč 68.8

-6.04%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 Kč 37.65

$2.13 Kč 44.18

-15.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 Kč 29.51

$1.86 Kč 38.61

-23.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 Kč 45.89

$2.97 Kč 61.7

-25.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 Kč 41.83

$2.94 Kč 61.0

-31.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Kč 24.25

$1.21 Kč 25.10

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 Kč 31.47

$1.75 Kč 36.41

-13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 Kč 50.1

$3.23 Kč 67.1

-25.39%

Eggs

$2.94 Kč 61.0

$4.32 Kč 89.9

-31.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 Kč 265

$14.59 Kč 303

-12.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 Kč 153

$10.45 Kč 217

-29.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.36 Kč 361

$17.04 Kč 354

1.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 Kč 41.05

$2.32 Kč 48.21

-14.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 Kč 37.41

$1.97 Kč 41.05

-8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Kč 44.71

$2.44 Kč 50.7

-11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 Kč 74.4

$3.68 Kč 76.4

-2.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 Kč 22.37

$1.30 Kč 27.09

-16.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 Kč 22.94

$1.38 Kč 28.59

-20.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 Kč 25.71

$1.72 Kč 35.83

-27.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 Kč 16.79

$0.81 Kč 16.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 Kč 161

$7.12 Kč 148

8.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.30 Kč 152

$7.33 Kč 152

-0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 Kč 20.63

$1.47 Kč 30.56

-32.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Kč 36.01

$1.82 Kč 37.89

-4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 Kč 50.8

$1.38 Kč 28.70

76.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 Kč 539

$29.30 Kč 609

-11.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Kč 61.3

$2.11 Kč 43.88

39.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 Kč 31.73

$1.46 Kč 30.38

4.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.53 Kč 364

$14.36 Kč 298

22.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Kč 38.94

$1.87 Kč 38.85

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.6K Kč 593.7K

$32.1K Kč 667.8K

-11.10%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.9K Kč 516.9K

$31.9K Kč 662.4K

-21.96%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$260 Kč 5,398

$284 Kč 5,908

-8.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.92 Kč 497

$18.35 Kč 381

30.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.57 Kč 407

$17.39 Kč 361

12.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.0 Kč 1,226

$63.7 Kč 1,325

-7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.39 Kč 465

$15.67 Kč 326

42.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 Kč 153

$12.12 Kč 252

-39.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$195 Kč 4,052

$339 Kč 7,056

-42.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,888 Kč 60.0K

$11.0K Kč 228.8K

-73.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 Kč 1,846

$84.9 Kč 1,764

4.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 Kč 812

$46.21 Kč 960

-15.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 Kč 2,244

$90.7 Kč 1,884

19.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 Kč 2,672

$117 Kč 2,435

9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 Kč 15.2K

$768 Kč 16.0K

-5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 Kč 10.3K

$741 Kč 15.4K

-32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 Kč 35.2K

$982 Kč 20.4K

72.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 Kč 28.9K

$959 Kč 19.9K

44.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,091 Kč 147.4K

$5,264 Kč 109.4K

34.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,212 Kč 108.3K

$4,188 Kč 87.0K

24.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,443 Kč 30.0K

$1,955 Kč 40.6K

-26.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

4.71

-1.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Karlovy Vary: August 30, 2026

Last update for Plzen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Karlovy Vary and $768 in Plzen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plzen pays 35% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Karlovy Vary vs $53.0 in Plzen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $307 per month, with Karlovy Vary cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Karlovy Vary vs Plzen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karlovy Vary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Plzen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Karlovy Vary versus $768 in Plzen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Karlovy Vary – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $53.0 in Plzen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,530 per month in Karlovy Vary versus $1,844 in Plzen – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,530 in Karlovy Vary versus $1,844 in Plzen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karlovy Vary but tight or insufficient in Plzen. The gap between the two cities makes Karlovy Vary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Karlovy Vary and Plzen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Karlovy Vary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Plzen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.