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: $1,955 in Prague versus $1,357 in Karlovy Vary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,919 in Prague versus $2,239 in Karlovy Vary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,882 in Prague versus $3,121 in Karlovy Vary.

Living in Prague is roughly 44% more expensive than in Karlovy Vary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Prague 46% above, Karlovy Vary 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.26 Kč 217

$8.30 Kč 176

23.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 Kč 993

$43.72 Kč 926

7.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 Kč 204

$8.96 Kč 190

7.37%

Cappuccino

$3.46 Kč 73.3

$2.89 Kč 61.2

19.72%

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

$1.85 Kč 39.20

$1.89 Kč 40.04

-2.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 Kč 33.80

$1.24 Kč 26.17

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Kč 61.1

$2.11 Kč 44.70

36.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Kč 62.4

$2.02 Kč 42.82

46.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Kč 26.14

$1.13 Kč 23.94

8.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Kč 32.64

$1.49 Kč 31.64

3.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 Kč 53.1

$2.18 Kč 46.08

15.14%

Eggs

$3.50 Kč 74.2

$2.79 Kč 59.1

25.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 Kč 277

$12.17 Kč 258

7.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 Kč 196

$6.91 Kč 146

33.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 Kč 279

$13.10 Kč 277

0.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 Kč 41.71

$1.73 Kč 36.66

13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 Kč 38.23

$1.70 Kč 36.05

6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Kč 47.47

$2.08 Kč 44.15

7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 Kč 80.0

$3.43 Kč 72.5

10.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 Kč 28.57

$1.32 Kč 28.00

2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 Kč 24.43

$1.20 Kč 25.40

-4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 Kč 34.55

$1.24 Kč 26.34

31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 Kč 18.01

$0.72 Kč 15.19

18.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 Kč 155

$7.08 Kč 150

3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 Kč 151

$7.09 Kč 150

0.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 Kč 22.88

$0.87 Kč 18.40

24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 Kč 45.71

$1.88 Kč 39.79

14.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 Kč 29.10

$2.29 Kč 48.48

-40.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.66 Kč 543

$25.52 Kč 541

0.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 Kč 50.4

$2.73 Kč 57.8

-12.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 Kč 29.56

$1.37 Kč 29.11

2.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.57 Kč 351

$15.68 Kč 332

5.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 Kč 36.06

$1.62 Kč 34.39

4.94%

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

$29.5K Kč 624.7K

$27.9K Kč 591.9K

5.54%

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

$31.4K Kč 664.3K

$24.4K Kč 515.9K

28.76%

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

$311 Kč 6,579

$251 Kč 5,325

23.53%

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

$26.49 Kč 561

$25.78 Kč 546

2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.52 Kč 456

$20.79 Kč 440

3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 Kč 1,569

$59.3 Kč 1,255

25.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 Kč 363

$21.38 Kč 453

-19.78%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 Kč 245

$6.91 Kč 146

67.15%

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

$890 Kč 18.9K

$186 Kč 3,940

378.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K Kč 301.9K

$2,752 Kč 58.3K

418.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 Kč 1,809

$85.0 Kč 1,799

0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 Kč 779

$40.85 Kč 865

-9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 Kč 2,091

$97.1 Kč 2,056

1.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 Kč 2,764

$112 Kč 2,364

16.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Kč 24.3K

$720 Kč 15.3K

59.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 Kč 18.8K

$401 Kč 8,489

121.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 Kč 48.6K

$1,424 Kč 30.2K

61.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 Kč 31.8K

$1,149 Kč 24.3K

30.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,565 Kč 202.6K

$7,039 Kč 149.1K

35.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,192 Kč 152.3K

$5,125 Kč 108.5K

40.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,349 Kč 49.8K

$1,429 Kč 30.3K

64.45%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Karlovy Vary: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Prague and $720 in Karlovy Vary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Prague pays 64% 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: $47.00 in Prague vs $44.00 in Karlovy Vary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $243 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Prague, 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: $1,147 in Prague versus $720 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 $47.00 in Prague. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,955 per month in Prague versus $1,357 in Karlovy Vary – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,357 in Karlovy Vary versus $1,955 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 44% less than in Prague. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.