If you are planning an extended stay in Prague, you have a few options. You can stay in a serviced apartment, which is easy but not the cheapest choice, although many offer a discount on their daily rates for stays of a week or a month. The other option is to rent a flat. Short lets of a few months can often be negotiated, while standard leases usually run for a year.
Accommodation Prices
Rents in Prague are the highest in the Czech Republic and have risen in recent years. A room in a shared flat is the cheapest option, a room outside the centre costs less than one in the centre, and a whole flat in the centre costs several times as much as a room. Rents change quickly, so check current listings on the big Czech property portals before you set your budget, and ask whether the rent includes service charges and energy (in Czech, “poplatky” and “energie”), which are often billed on top.
Prague Districts
Where you decide to live will have a big effect on your Prague experience. Though only a few kilometres apart, some districts can feel like opposite ends of the globe. Before you sign a long-term lease, we highly recommend getting a feel for the city.
Prague 1: The heart of Prague, made up of Malá Strana (the Lesser Quarter), Staré Město (the Old Town), Josefov and most of Nové Město (the New Town). It is central and full of restaurants, pubs, theatres, museums, galleries and shops, but the constant crowds of tourists (not to mention the high rents) can make it a difficult place to live, especially for families.
Prague 2: Leafy Vinohrady is a favourite with expats for three reasons: it is close to the centre, it has excellent public transport, and it has plenty of places to eat – here you’ll find streets full of restaurants serving everything from sushi to tapas. Its parks and green spaces also make Vinohrady attractive for families with young children. As with all good things discovered by many people, it has become increasingly expensive.
Prague 3: Next to increasingly upmarket Vinohrady is the more working-class Žižkov. Packed with restaurants and pubs and with its own fair share of parks and greenery, this hilly district does not deserve its reputation as Vinohrady’s “rougher” cousin. Žižkov is just as trendy, if a bit grittier, with cheaper flats for city lovers and plenty of late-night life for night owls.
Prague 4: Stretching along the Vltava and including the riverside neighbourhoods of Braník and Podolí, this is one of Prague’s most residential districts, with outdoor pubs, parks and Czech restaurants. The lack of a central metro hub can be inconvenient by the river, but tram and bus connections are plentiful. The Pankrác and Budějovická areas have better public transport but aren’t quite as attractive as Braník or Podolí, because of the large communist-era housing estates, or paneláky. The Prague British International School has two campuses in the Prague 4 area, which helps make it popular with expat families.
Prague 5: Smíchov, south of Malá Strana, is on the pricey side and can feel crowded with its shopping centres, cinemas and office buildings. But the public transport is good, and further out, in Košíře, Motol, Hlubočepy and Radlice, there are pleasant neighbourhoods with older family houses and smaller paneláky. These are quiet but further from the centre, and shops and entertainment are fewer.
Prague 6: Dejvice is as popular with expats as Vinohrady (expats also like Nebušice, further out) and has a similar feel. Rents are often a little lower, and the pubs and restaurants feel more “Czech”. Prague 6 is a good place for families, with many schools and parks. Ořechovka and Hanspaulka are among the most sought-after residential areas in the city, known for their family houses and villas. Public transport stops can be few and far between there, but for families who can afford them – Prague 6 is home to many diplomats and embassies – they are lovely places to live.
Prague 7: Letná is close to the city centre, and parts of it are a short walk from Letná Park and Stromovka, which are full of dog walkers, rollerbladers and beer gardens. Not every building in Letná is pretty, but it is a very convenient place to live. A good choice of restaurants, the Sparta football stadium and good shopping keep attracting the international community.
Prague 8 and 9: Karlín in Prague 8 was the district worst hit by the 2002 floods but has since had a remarkable revival, with new office developments such as River City Prague, new apartment buildings, cafés and gyms. Newcomers mix with long-time locals, which keeps the area interesting. Prosek, Ládví and Letňany in Prague 9 are a good distance from the centre, but metro line C runs all the way to Letňany.
Prague 10: Vršovice has a Vinohrady feel but is slightly further from the centre, with lower rents – although as the neighbourhood becomes more popular, prices are rising. Hostivař is a quiet residential area around the Hostivař reservoir (great for swimming and sunbathing in summer), surrounded by woodland that is perfect for walking and cycling.
If you are thinking of buying rather than renting, see our Prague real estate overview.