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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,993 in Prague versus $1,359 in Karlovy Vary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,898 in Prague versus $2,236 in Karlovy Vary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,803 in Prague versus $3,112 in Karlovy Vary.

Living in Prague is roughly 47% more expensive than Karlovy Vary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prague 49% above, Karlovy Vary 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.45 Kč 218

$8.51 Kč 177

22.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.50 Kč 969

$43.73 Kč 912

6.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 Kč 193

$8.91 Kč 186

3.82%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Kč 71.3

$2.90 Kč 60.5

17.93%

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

$1.83 Kč 38.10

$1.96 Kč 40.87

-6.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 Kč 33.21

$1.23 Kč 25.69

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Kč 58.7

$2.05 Kč 42.70

37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Kč 63.7

$2.02 Kč 42.06

51.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 Kč 24.99

$1.15 Kč 23.92

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 Kč 32.83

$1.50 Kč 31.32

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 Kč 51.7

$2.10 Kč 43.81

18.10%

Eggs

$3.36 Kč 70.0

$2.78 Kč 58.0

20.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 Kč 265

$12.50 Kč 261

1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.55 Kč 199

$7.02 Kč 146

36.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 Kč 271

$12.68 Kč 264

2.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 Kč 42.91

$1.73 Kč 36.06

19.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 Kč 38.40

$1.72 Kč 35.95

6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Kč 47.50

$2.14 Kč 44.56

6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 Kč 80.7

$3.41 Kč 71.1

13.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Kč 29.39

$1.32 Kč 27.58

6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 Kč 23.92

$1.15 Kč 24.00

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 Kč 35.29

$1.18 Kč 24.66

43.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 Kč 16.73

$0.73 Kč 15.14

9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.49 Kč 156

$6.98 Kč 146

7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 Kč 150

$7.16 Kč 149

0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 Kč 22.67

$0.92 Kč 19.22

18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 Kč 45.71

$1.82 Kč 37.94

20.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 Kč 29.52

$2.31 Kč 48.26

-38.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.49 Kč 531

$25.86 Kč 539

-1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 Kč 47.73

$2.88 Kč 59.9

-20.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 Kč 28.82

$1.32 Kč 27.52

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 Kč 347

$15.29 Kč 319

8.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Kč 36.76

$1.70 Kč 35.51

3.53%

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

$29.6K Kč 616.8K

$28.4K Kč 591.2K

4.33%

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

$31.2K Kč 649.6K

$23.8K Kč 496.3K

30.88%

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

$308 Kč 6,430

$258 Kč 5,382

19.46%

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

$26.70 Kč 557

$25.42 Kč 530

5.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.70 Kč 452

$20.69 Kč 431

4.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.3 Kč 1,549

$57.7 Kč 1,202

28.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 Kč 357

$21.88 Kč 456

-21.76%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 Kč 245

$7.04 Kč 147

66.90%

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

$898 Kč 18.7K

$187 Kč 3,892

381.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K Kč 301.7K

$2,833 Kč 59.1K

410.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 Kč 1,757

$85.0 Kč 1,772

-0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.19 Kč 775

$41.27 Kč 860

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 Kč 2,031

$98.7 Kč 2,057

-1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 Kč 2,717

$113 Kč 2,347

15.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 Kč 23.7K

$730 Kč 15.2K

55.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 Kč 18.4K

$388 Kč 8,081

127.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 Kč 47.4K

$1,420 Kč 29.6K

59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 Kč 31.9K

$1,145 Kč 23.9K

33.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K Kč 212.1K

$7,263 Kč 151.4K

40.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,573 Kč 157.9K

$5,248 Kč 109.4K

44.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,417 Kč 50.4K

$1,469 Kč 30.6K

64.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.84

5.56

-12.95%

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

Last update for Prague: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karlovy Vary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,139 in Prague and $730 in Karlovy Vary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Prague pays 65% 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 Prague vs $44.00 in Karlovy Vary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $244 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

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

Karlovy Vary is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Prague pays 65% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,139 in Prague versus $730 in Karlovy Vary. 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 $44.00 versus $46.00 in Prague. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,993 per month in Prague versus $1,359 in Karlovy Vary – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,359 in Karlovy Vary versus $1,993 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, Prague and Karlovy Vary 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 47% less than in Prague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.