your Prague guide by someone who lives here
EMERGENCY ANSWER: If you are reading this on your mobile device because you are buying something in Prague and need to figure out whether you are being ripped off - use this as an comparison: a Big Mac, medium fries and coke costs around 180 CZK. So if you are buying a toothbrush from a street vendor for 2500 CZK you are being ripped off.
The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union but the national currency is not the Euro. For the Czech people this means they have control over their economy, but for you it means you will need to convert your currency to the Koruna (CZK) and make a quick calculation every time you see a price tag.
Compared to the rest of the western world (US, Britain, Germany, etc.) in the Czech Republic:
The following cost slightly more in Czech:
The following cost a lot less in Czech:
If you are the type of person who goes on vacation to shop for inexpensive electronics and clothes then Czech is not the best vacation destination. But if you like to sit down at a restaurant, enjoy a local dish, wash it down with beer, and relax by blowing smoke rings then Prague is paradise.
But don’t worry if you forget your shaver at home, it will not cost you much more in Prague. Neither will a pair of pants or a souvenir ‘czech me out’ t-shirt. A rough estimate is a 10% price increase for these kinds of products. In other words, if you are going on a world tour and you want to buy an iPhone and designer jeans wait until you reach Singapore.
Beer, on the other hand, is probably cheaper than anywhere else in the world. For Czechs beer is considered a meal compliment and not an alcoholic drink - so it is taxed less than in other countries.
Classic Czech meals in restaurants for locals cost less than for equally filling meals in other western countries. For $5 US you can enjoy a hearty lunch of pork, sauce, six dumplings and a half litre of beer. The trick is to visit non-tourist restaurants if you are hunting for inexpensive meals. Restaurants in tourist hot-spots near the Charles Bridge will not provide savings - the price can be twice as much just because you are near the Bridge. To save money avoid tourist hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and shops. Ask locals where they eat.
THE PRICE OF: | PRICE CZK | $USD | €EUR | £GBP | $CDN | $AUD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Big Mac, Medium Fries and Coke | 180 | 7.3 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 9.5 | 10.0 |
Pack of Marlboro | 120 | 5.0 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 5.1 | 6.9 |
Grande Latte at Starbucks | 95 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 5.9 |
Levis Red Tab men’s jeans | 2500 | 108.7 | 96.2 | 86.2 | 147.1 | 156.3 |
iPhone 14 | 21000 | 913 | 807.7 | 724.1 | 1235.3 | 1312.5 |
THE PRICE OF: | PRICE CZK | $USD | €EUR | £GBP | $CDN | $AUD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Classic Czech meal at restaurant- meat, sauce, dumplings | 160 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 9.0 | 9.5 |
Large sausage, bun and mustard at Wenceslas Square | 60 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
500 ml of beer draft (pint) | 45 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
750ml bottle of wine good enough to bring to party | 160 | 7.0 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 9.4 | 10.0 |
Evening for two at resturuant in the center of Prague (2 meals, deserts, 2 beers (each), 2 coffees.) | 1000 | 38.8 | 37.2 | 34.6 | 52.1 | 56.0 |
loaf of same day brown bread | 10 | .4 | .4 | .3 | .6 | .6 |
100g of ham to eat with a bun | 20 | .9 | .8 | .7 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
100g Fresh whole button mushrooms (smažené žampióny) | 15 | .7 | .6 | .5 | .9 | .9 |
8 rolls of toilet paper | 40 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
basic white plastic lawn chair | 150 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 6.9 | 7.3 |
public tranport pass to get from one side of Prague to the other | 40 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
24hour public transport pass for metro, tram, bus | 120 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 6.3 | 6.6 |
3day public transport pass for metro, tram, bus | 330 | 12.9 | 10.6 | 9.6 | 15.7 | 16.6 |
Taxi ride from airport to center (25km) | 800 | 34.8 | 30.8 | 27.6 | 47.1 | 50.0 |
30 minute train ride to little village outside of Prague that has no tourists | 60 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.5 |
Cotton men's t-shirt from department store | 190 | 8.3 | 7.3 | 6.6 | 11.2 | 11.9 |
Cotton men's t-shirt from discount vietnamese shop | 80 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
Average cost for 1 night Airbnb stay in standard private apartment not in tourist zone | 1000 | 43.5 | 38.5 | 34.5 | 58.8 | 62.5 |
50 sqmeter (164 sq feet) 2 room, kitchen, 1 bath apartment not in touist zone | 4.4 million | 204k | 180k | 160k | 280k | 300k |
I hope you find this website helpful. I created the website because I love Prague, I enjoy writing about it, and I get a weird kick out of helping you make your trip to Prague more enjoyable.
I wrote a book about local travel in Prague. The book is my pride, my joy, my unbiological offspring. It was written with a passionate heart. If you find this website helpful consider getting my book full of useful tips that will instil in you the confidence to wander the local streets of Prague. The book is included in the popular (proud to say over 1000 sold) Prague Local Explore Kit.
Thank you,
Roman : Prague 2023