If you decide to stay longer in Prague, then it is good to look for a long-term apartment.
Look for ads in newspapers (Annonce.cz is the largest catalogue of classified listings but only in Czech), contact real estate agencies and special agencies offering serviced apartments for long term rentals. It would help if you kept in mind location, transport costs and how long you wish to stay when choosing somewhere to live. Rents vary depending on proximity to the centre and whether the flat is furnished or not. A furnished apartment with a room, bathroom, living room and kitchen usually costs around 13.000 CZK a month outside of the city centre. If you want to live in the centre, you will probably have to pay double this, around 30.000 CZK. You can stay for a shorter term with serviced apartments, based on daily, weekly or monthly rates. If you wish to rent an apartment from a real estate agency, you will need to sign for a lease of at least 3 or 6 months and pay an agency fee (usually one month’s rent), plus 1 or 2 months deposit. If renting from a private person, you will only need to pay a deposit. If you are staying for at least three months, then this would be the best option as it is much cheaper, prices will be around 30 to 40 percent lower compared to staying in serviced short term apartments. For long term rentals, try PragueHome.com or Spolubydlici.cz
Resources
- AAA BYTY Václavské náměstà 62, tel. 226 060 606/774 333 www.aaabyty.cz. This company can assist you with buying, renting or selling a flat, house and office.
- European Reality, Praha 1, Václavské Nám. 2 (Euro Palác), tel. 222 21 21 64/603 20 16 76, www.europeanreality.com. Popular letting company for all budgets. Open: 09:00 – 20:00.
- Expats.cz features thousands of flats listings real estate.ex-pats.cz
- Prague.craigslist.org – classifieds section where you can find a good selection of Prague’s properties for rent.
Students
There is now a reliable housing agency in Prague that can find centrally-located apartments at a reasonable cost. Students are advised to share the cost of the apartment with two or three roommates. No long-term lease needs to be signed. For students who are interested in this option, please consult the agency websites:
Want to stay really cheap in the Czech Republic?
There are some ways how to stay really cheap. The first recommendation is to get as much far as possible from Prague to smaller towns and villages. For example, a two-bedroom apartment in a small town, where is a high unemployment rate, can cost just 150$ a month. That’s a huge difference compared to staying in the core centre of Prague, where you can expect to pay up 10x times more for the same apartment. The second option is finding so-called “UBYTOVNY“; they’re kind of HOSTELS with two exceptions. They generally cater to poor ones (for some locals and for many from Eastern Europe), and they’re rented on a monthly basis. One month can cost you anything from 2800 CZK to 8000 CZK (from 150$ to 420$).
Average prices of apartments in Prague
One-room apartment from 7000 CZK
One-bedroom apartment + kitchen from 8000 to 15 000 CZK
Double bedroom from 11000 to 16 000 CZK
Three bedroom apartment from 13 000 CZK
Flat-size categories
• 1+KK One room with a kitchen in the same living space, bathrooms are separate
• 1+1 One room with separate kitchen
• 2+KK Bedroom and kitchen/lounge in the same space
• 2+1 Bedroom, living area, and separate kitchen
• 3+1 Two bedrooms, a living area and kitchen
Types of Housing
Činžovnà dům: four- or five-storey pre-war buildings, constructed in the 1920s and 1930s. Elevators were often installed in these buildings later; some are still without.
Panelový dům: high-rise apartment buildings built during the communist era. Highly visible and cheap to live in; a lasting reminder of Soviet rule.
Rodinný dům: detached single-family homes.
Vila: sprawling family homes, constructed in the 1920s and 1930s; these days populated by the more wealthy.