Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlovy Vary and Prague

For one person, living is cheaper in Karlovy Vary: $1,447 a month against $2,035 in Prague, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Karlovy Vary
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Karlovy Vary Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Prague
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Prague Living Index

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Karlovy Vary

🇨🇿 Czech Republic

$1,447

/mo nomad

Prague

🇨🇿 Czech Republic

$2,035

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karlovy Vary and in Prague

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karlovy Vary and in Prague actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Karlovy Vary versus $2,035 in Prague.

Karlovy Vary $1,447
Prague $2,035

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,407 in Karlovy Vary versus $2,943 in Prague.

Karlovy Vary $2,407
Prague $2,943

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,367 in Karlovy Vary versus $3,851 in Prague.

Karlovy Vary $3,367
Prague $3,851

Living in Karlovy Vary costs roughly 29% less than in Prague, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Karlovy Vary 7% above, Prague 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.12 Kč 197

$10.85 Kč 235

-15.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.32 Kč 980

$51.1 Kč 1,105

-11.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 Kč 187

$10.22 Kč 221

-15.56%

Cappuccino

$2.92 Kč 63.1

$3.58 Kč 77.5

-18.44%

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

$1.64 Kč 35.40

$2.03 Kč 44.00

-19.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 Kč 29.28

$1.42 Kč 30.71

-4.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 Kč 43.64

$3.18 Kč 68.8

-36.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 Kč 41.42

$3.13 Kč 67.7

-38.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 Kč 25.17

$1.08 Kč 23.32

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 Kč 31.01

$1.62 Kč 34.95

-11.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 Kč 49.89

$2.40 Kč 51.9

-3.75%

Eggs

$2.80 Kč 60.6

$3.72 Kč 80.5

-24.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.32 Kč 266

$11.99 Kč 259

2.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 Kč 152

$8.54 Kč 185

-17.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.70 Kč 361

$14.12 Kč 305

18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Kč 40.12

$1.90 Kč 41.11

-2.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 Kč 36.87

$1.74 Kč 37.61

-2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 Kč 46.31

$2.18 Kč 47.20

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 Kč 70.1

$3.72 Kč 80.5

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 Kč 23.03

$1.00 Kč 21.62

6.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 Kč 23.80

$1.01 Kč 21.87

8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 Kč 24.54

$1.55 Kč 33.45

-27.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Kč 16.42

$0.78 Kč 16.91

-2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.45 Kč 161

$7.69 Kč 166

-3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 Kč 149

$6.79 Kč 147

1.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 Kč 19.04

$1.19 Kč 25.74

-26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Kč 35.69

$1.97 Kč 42.70

-16.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 Kč 48.81

$1.78 Kč 38.44

26.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.53 Kč 552

$21.11 Kč 457

20.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 Kč 58.6

$2.67 Kč 57.7

1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 Kč 31.30

$1.64 Kč 35.48

-11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.71 Kč 361

$19.40 Kč 420

-13.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 Kč 40.76

$1.97 Kč 42.50

-4.57%

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

$27.5K Kč 594.6K

$30.6K Kč 662.6K

-10.26%

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

$23.2K Kč 502.0K

$34.1K Kč 737.0K

-31.88%

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

$252 Kč 5,447

$284 Kč 6,134

-11.19%

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

$22.47 Kč 486

$23.46 Kč 507

-4.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.84 Kč 407

$22.04 Kč 477

-14.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 Kč 1,252

$67.8 Kč 1,467

-14.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.42 Kč 463

$17.40 Kč 376

23.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.93 Kč 150

$13.08 Kč 283

-47.02%

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

$182 Kč 3,941

$1,094 Kč 23.7K

-83.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,794 Kč 60.4K

$18.7K Kč 404.5K

-85.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 Kč 1,804

$92.2 Kč 1,995

-9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.53 Kč 790

$47.06 Kč 1,018

-22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Kč 2,175

$111 Kč 2,391

-9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 Kč 2,656

$129 Kč 2,790

-4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 Kč 15.0K

$1,117 Kč 24.2K

-38.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 Kč 10.2K

$942 Kč 20.4K

-50.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 Kč 35.5K

$2,234 Kč 48.3K

-26.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 Kč 28.2K

$1,566 Kč 33.9K

-16.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,820 Kč 147.5K

$9,321 Kč 201.6K

-26.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 Kč 110.9K

$6,757 Kč 146.1K

-24.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,404 Kč 30.4K

$2,344 Kč 50.7K

-40.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

4.72

-1.06%

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

Last update for Karlovy Vary: October 10, 2026

Last update for Prague: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Karlovy Vary

$470 32.5%

Prague

$942 46.3% 101% $472

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karlovy Vary

$293 20.3%

Prague

$329 16.2% 12.3% $36

Groceries & Markets

Karlovy Vary

$253 17.5%

Prague

$264 13% 4.1% $10

Eating Out

Karlovy Vary

$160 11%

Prague

$196 9.7% 23% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Karlovy Vary

$155 10.7%

Prague

$171 8.4% 10.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Karlovy Vary

$72 5%

Prague

$94 4.6% 31% $22

Getting Around

Karlovy Vary

$45 3.1%

Prague

$39 1.9% 12.2% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Karlovy Vary and $1,117 in Prague. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Prague pays 67% 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: $45.00 in Karlovy Vary vs $51.0 in Prague for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $264 per month, with Karlovy Vary cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇿 Karlovy Vary

🇨🇿 Prague

🕒 Local time

04:04 4:04 AM

Same time as Karlovy Vary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,065

1,251,933 Capital

💱 Currency

Czech Koruna CZK Kč

📈 Exchange rate

100 CZK = 4.62 USD

100 CZK = 4.11 EUR

100 CZK = 4.62 USD

100 CZK = 4.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Karlovy Vary is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Prague. 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: $692 in Karlovy Vary versus $1,117 in Prague. 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 $45.00 versus $51.0 in Prague. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Karlovy Vary versus $2,035 in Prague – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,447 in Karlovy Vary versus $2,035 in Prague, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karlovy Vary but tight or insufficient in Prague. The gap between the two cities makes Karlovy Vary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karlovy Vary is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Prague, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Karlovy Vary and Prague 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 41% less than in Prague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.