If you’re thinking about moving abroad, the Czech Republic might have caught your eye. This central European country is the seventh safest country on the whole planet, it has the most castles in all of Europe and most important of all, beer is cheaper than water. Yes, you read that well.
As shown by the huge 530,000 plus ex-pats community, the Czech Republic is a great place to live.
This list of the 10 best cities to live in the Czech Republic represents the best of the country and might even inspire you to book a plane ticket today.
Key Takeaways
The Czech Republic is a phenomenal place to visit, work, and live. These top ten best cities to live in Czech Republic will provide you with all of the culture, nightlife, and accessibility that you need to make your move abroad a success.
However, there are a few things to consider before deciding to make the beautiful Czech Republic your home.
- Summers in the Czech Republic tend to be reasonably mild, but winters are quite cold. If you plan on living or visiting for a long time, especially across different seasons, bring a large wardrobe to accommodate different temperatures.
- It’s got an incredible, deep Germanic, Celtic, and Slavic history. Bohemia is one of the culturally-richest places on the entire planet.
- It’s a good idea to learn at least a little bit of Czech, especially if you’re traveling to, or visiting, a smaller city. Knowing how to say a few key phrases will ingratiate you to your neighbors and help make your transition a lot smoother.
- The Czech Republic has sixteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Visit Facebook or Meetup groups to meet fellow ex-pats. It’s a good idea to join these before visiting or moving to the Czech Republic.
- Ostrava
Ostrava is a beautiful city in the northeastern part of the Czech Republic and is the ideal blend of the old and new world. If you want to break out of the ex-pat bubble a bit and see the “real” Czech Republic, Ostrava is a great bet for you. It’s an old mining town that’s since reinvented itself as an unassuming cultural hub with a lot to offer.
One of the key selling points of Ostrava is its very low cost of living. A single person can live comfortably on about $850 per month, including rent and expenses. In addition, food tends to be inexpensive, public transportation is highly accessible, and there are plenty of impressive museums to visit. With Ostrava Leos Janacek Airport less than 20 miles away, Ostrava is accessible, inexpensive, and a great place to live.
- Walkability- High
- Crime Rate- Low and continuing to stay low
- Number of Ex-pats- 12,166
- Pardubice
Pardubice is right in the heart of charming Bohemia and is a bucolic, lovely little city famous for its horses, gingerbread, and gorgeous architecture. It sits right between the Chrudimska and Elbe rivers, making it a great home base for ex-pats who enjoy the comforts of city life and being out in the great outdoors.
The countryside around Pardubice is excellent for biking and hiking. There’s also plenty of things to see right inside the city limits themselves, including Zamek Pardubice, a museum showcasing many treasures of the Czech Republic.
The cost of living in Pardubice is reasonable too. Expect to pay roughly $900 per month for a single person. You can live very comfortably in a lovely apartment in the city center. A family of four will pay roughly $2,000 for all monthly expenses.
- Walkability- High
- Crime Rate- Relatively low
- Number of Ex-pats- Not formally listed, and it’s a smaller community that you can connect with online
- Usti nad Labem
Usti nad Labem is an authentic, industrial city with a thriving port and many opportunities to connect and establish friendships with local people.
If you’re interested in learning the language and really immersing yourself in the culture, this is a great city to do it. The cost of living is lower than both Ostrava and Pardubice, at only $839 per month for a single person.
The trade-off is that there’s not a thriving ex-pat community in Usti nad Labem and very few online groups or resources to connect with people in the city.
Even though Usti nad Labem is less tourist-oriented, there are still some fun things to see or do, like visiting the famous Usti nad Labem Zoo.
- Walkability- Moderate
- Crime Rate- Moderate
- Number of Ex-pats- Not formally listed, but there don’t appear to be too many in this city
- Kolin
Kolin is a lovely city in central Bohemia that’s relatively close to Prague but far away enough to retain a lot of its small-town charm. With only 32,000 residents, Kolin is one of the smaller cities on our list. If you like nature, history and want to be part of a tight-knit community, Kolin is a good place for you.
We recommend that you learn some Czech if you opt to live there, as English can be limited.
Kolin is a highly historic city, and you’ll find stunning baroque and gothic architecture at every turn, including one of the oldest and most historic synagogues in all of Bohemia. Kolin’s cost of living is pretty reasonable too. A single person can live comfortably on less than $900 a month in this charming city.
- Walkability- High
- Crime Rate- Not enough data
- Number of Ex-pats- Not formally listed, but there don’t appear to be too many in this city
- Plzen
Plzen is one of the best cities to live in the Czech Republic. This city is relatively close to the country’s capital, Prague, and is the fourth biggest city in the republic. As such, you’ll get all of the comforts that you crave from larger cities with a more leisurely pace of life.
It’s also the birthplace of pilsner, one of the most popular beer styles on the planet. So if you’re a beer connoisseur, you absolutely need to pay a visit to Plzen.
Plzen is a little bit more expensive than some of the other destinations on our list. A single person can live comfortably for about $950 per month, including rent, utilities, food, and transportation. You might want to budget a little bit more if you’re going to go on excursions or tour the country.
- Walkability- Moderate
- Crime Rate- Low but increasing slightly
- Number of Ex-pats- Not formally listed, but there are plenty of groups to join online for Czech or English-speaking ex-pats
- Kladno
Kladno is another beautiful city to live in if you want to experience the “real” Czech Republic. It’s a mining city in the central part of the country, relatively close to Prague. Kladno is a mining city where all manner of different metal products are produced. So if you’re interested in learning about how Czech industry works, Kladno is a great place to visit or live.
It’s also very centrally located. Kladno is less than ten miles away from the Vaclav Havel Airport and has plenty of attractions that will keep you busy. There’s a state-of-the-art waterpark, plenty of museums, and delicious pubs and restaurants all around the city. The cost of living is less than $1,000 per person, and you’re close enough to Prague that you can stop by there any time that you’d like.
- Walkability- Moderate
- Crime Rate- Moderate
- Number of Ex-pats- Not formally listed, but there are many ex-pat groups online that also encompass the Kladno region
Related: Banks in the Czech Repbulic
- Zlin
Zlin is one of the top cities in the Czech Republic’s Moravia area, and it strikes a good balance between modern and classic architecture and culture. Many buildings in Zlin are great examples of baroque style, including the Kromeri Castle and gardens. The castle is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you love culture and want to be surrounded by beauty at all times, you should consider making Zlin your Czech Republic home away from home.
Zlin is also an industrial epicenter, where Bata Shoes first made its mark on the world. You can find a nice mix of people there, including factory workers and students from Tomas Bata University in Zlin. There is very little crime in the city, and it’s easy to assimilate if you speak a little bit of Czech. One person’s average cost of living is about $1,100 per month.
- Walkability- High
- Crime Rate- Very low
- Number of Ex-pats- Not formally listed, but Zlin has a large population, so there should be plenty of people to connect with
- Brno
If you’re looking to meet up with fellow ex-pats, Brno is one of the best cities to live in Czech Republic. There are nearly 30,000 foreigners and ex-pats within and right around the city. Brno is a large city, so the cost of living is a little higher than you would expect from some of the smaller cities on our list. Expect to pay roughly $2,500 for a family of four, or just over $1,000 for a single person to live comfortably in Brno.
Brno is nothing if not convenient. The Brno-Turany Airport is about five miles away, and you’ll find local and international shopping and dining options all over the city. Brno’s main square is stunning, with incredible architecture and historically relevant buildings like Spilberk Castle, a restored medieval fortress and museum. Brno also has a thriving nightlife and excellent public transportation options.
- Walkability- Moderate
- Crime Rate- Fairly low
- Number of Ex-pats- 29,171
- Mlada Boleslav
Mlada Boleslav is a hub for the Czech automotive industry and one of the most historic cities in the entire country. It’s right on the Jizera River, and, although people know it for its famous car manufacturing, it’s also a great place to live if you like culture and museums. Mlada Boleslav has a beautiful castle, old town square, and plenty of archeology sites and exciting museums and galleries.
Mlada Boleslav is also a very good place for ex-pats to learn about the country. Although fewer ex-pats live in Mlada Boleslav than places like Prague or Brno, there’s still a thriving community and plenty of places to learn Czech. The cost of living in Mlada Boleslav is slightly higher than in other areas on our list, roughly $1,200 per person for every month. On the other hand, the convenience and accessibility of this city make it worth it.
- Walkability- High
- Crime Rate- Moderate with petty crime increasing
- Number of Ex-pats- 15,000
- Prague
Prague is by far the most popular city for ex-pats to live in and visit, in all of the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, although it’s highly accessible with plenty of things to do, it is one of the country’s most expensive places to live. Expect to pay $1,250 per month if you’re a single person and roughly $3,000 per month for a family of four people.
Prague is a great place to work and play, with plenty of cafes and co-working spaces, and vibrant neighborhoods all throughout the city. There are also quite a few tourist attractions in and around the city, including Prague Castle and the Old Town Hall Tower. Tyn Church is easily one of the most stunning buildings in the entire country and a must-see for any visitor or resident of Prague.
If you ask, “where do ex-pats live in Czech Republic,” you will most definitely hear “Prague.” This vibrant city is home to a stunning 166,000 ex-pats, making it by far the best place to live if you want to meet and interact with other people from around the world.
- Walkability- High
- Crime Rate- Very low but increasing with petty theft
- Number of Ex-pats- 166,000
Conclusion
No matter what you’re looking for, this diverse and exceptional country has something for you. There are beautiful little rural cities surrounded by nature and absolutely steeped in ancient history. But, there are also cosmopolitan destinations where you can get everything and anything you need to have a comfortable life.
If you’re planning on packing your bags and moving to the Czech Republic, make sure that you check out one of these exceptional destinations. All of them are centrally located, accessible, and you will be able to assimilate into Czech life quickly.
Related: Cost of Living in the Czech Republic
