Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Plzen and Zatec

For one person, living is cheaper in Zatec: $1,232 a month against $1,762 in Plzen, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Plzen
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
$1,762
/mo nomad
Zatec
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
$1,232
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Plzen and in Zatec

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,762 in Plzen versus $1,232 in Zatec.

  • Plzen $1,762
  • Zatec $1,232

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,476 in Plzen versus $1,931 in Zatec.

  • Plzen $2,476
  • Zatec $1,931

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,191 in Plzen versus $2,630 in Zatec.

  • Plzen $3,191
  • Zatec $2,630

Living in Plzen is roughly 43% more expensive than in Zatec, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Plzen is 30% above, Zatec is 9% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.38 Kč 246
$6.77 Kč 146
68.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.5 Kč 1,200
$18.11 Kč 392
206.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.40 Kč 203
$8.92 Kč 193
5.38%
Cappuccino
$3.20 Kč 69.2
$2.95 Kč 63.9
8.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 Kč 48.35
$0.71 Kč 15.31
215.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 Kč 39.68
$0.88 Kč 18.98
107.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Kč 64.6
$2.33 Kč 50.5
28.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 Kč 59.1
$2.71 Kč 58.5
0.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 Kč 23.51
$0.83 Kč 17.85
31.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 Kč 34.46
$1.33 Kč 28.76
19.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 Kč 62.9
$2.24 Kč 48.54
29.91%
Eggs
$4.06 Kč 87.7
$2.45 Kč 53.0
65.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.69 Kč 296
$5.88 Kč 127
132.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.99 Kč 216
$5.50 Kč 119
81.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.27 Kč 352
$7.07 Kč 153
130.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.14 Kč 46.26
$1.26 Kč 27.29
69.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.86 Kč 40.33
$1.56 Kč 33.84
19.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 Kč 46.84
$2.06 Kč 44.60
5.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.41 Kč 73.7
$3.29 Kč 71.2
3.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 Kč 26.21
$0.94 Kč 20.25
28.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.26 Kč 27.32
$1.09 Kč 23.63
15.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.61 Kč 34.81
$1.54 Kč 33.38
4.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 Kč 18.18
$0.55 Kč 11.99
52.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.80 Kč 147
$5.92 Kč 128
14.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.76 Kč 146
$5.36 Kč 116
26.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 Kč 29.05
$0.89 Kč 19.21
50.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 Kč 38.13
$1.70 Kč 36.86
3.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.31 Kč 28.43
$0.33 Kč 7.22
296.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.11 Kč 608
$25.19 Kč 545
11.59%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.04 Kč 44.02
$2.79 Kč 60.4
-26.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 Kč 30.06
$1.85 Kč 39.96
-24.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.62 Kč 294
$16.44 Kč 355
-17.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.88 Kč 40.65
$1.86 Kč 40.18
1.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K Kč 650.3K
$31.5K Kč 680.6K
-4.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K Kč 664.4K
$30.1K Kč 651.7K
1.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$271 Kč 5,865
$299 Kč 6,474
-9.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.71 Kč 361
$22.74 Kč 492
-26.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.50 Kč 313
$18.72 Kč 405
-22.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.3 Kč 1,304
$54.6 Kč 1,181
10.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.57 Kč 315
$17.30 Kč 374
-15.78%
Cinema Ticket
$10.89 Kč 236
$12.95 Kč 280
-15.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$336 Kč 7,264
$726 Kč 15.7K
-53.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K Kč 235.8K
$11.4K Kč 247.4K
-4.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.4 Kč 1,718
$86.8 Kč 1,877
-8.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.71 Kč 945
$36.82 Kč 796
18.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.0 Kč 1,839
$45.55 Kč 985
86.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 Kč 2,402
$120 Kč 2,602
-7.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$752 Kč 16.3K
$360 Kč 7,792
108.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$709 Kč 15.3K
$318 Kč 6,886
122.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$928 Kč 20.1K
$1,210 Kč 26.2K
-23.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$941 Kč 20.3K
$928 Kč 20.1K
1.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,160 Kč 111.6K
$4,620 Kč 99.9K
11.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,130 Kč 89.3K
$3,448 Kč 74.6K
19.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Plzen
Zatec
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,915 Kč 41.4K
$1,146 Kč 24.8K
67.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.8
4.67
2.78%

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

Last update for Plzen: October 20, 2026

Last update for Zatec: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Plzen
$709
Zatec
$318 55.1% $390
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Plzen
$302
Zatec
$341 12.7% $38
Groceries & Markets
Plzen
$288
Zatec
$183 36.4% $105
Eating Out
Plzen
$194
Zatec
$140 28.1% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Plzen
$144
Zatec
$130 9.3% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Plzen
$82
Zatec
$80 1.9% $1.6
Getting Around
Plzen
$42
Zatec
$39 8.9% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Plzen and $360 in Zatec. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Plzen 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: $55.0 in Plzen vs $18.00 in Zatec for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $183 per month, with Zatec cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇿 Plzen
🇨🇿 Zatec
🕒 Local time
14:30 2:30 PM
14:30 2:30 PM
Same time as Plzen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
168,951
19,522
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CZK – Czech Koruna Converter

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 21.63 CZK (100 CZK = 4.62 USD). 1 EUR = 24.31 CZK (100 CZK = 4.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Plzen Zatec 66 km
From you
  • Plzen
  • Zatec

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Plzen vs Zatec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zatec cheaper than Plzen?
Zatec is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Plzen or Zatec?
Average pay runs 67% higher in Plzen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Plzen and Zatec?
Rent for a central apartment: $752 in Plzen versus $360 in Zatec. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Plzen or in Zatec?
Dining out is cheaper in Zatec – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $55.0 in Plzen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Plzen and in Zatec?
All in, you'll spend $1,762 per month in Plzen versus $1,232 in Zatec – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Plzen or in Zatec?
At $1,232 in Zatec versus $1,762 in Plzen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zatec but tight or insufficient in Plzen. The gap between the two cities makes Zatec the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Plzen or in Zatec?
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.
Which city is safer, Plzen or Zatec?
Safety-wise, Plzen and Zatec are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Zatec gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Plzen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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