Cost of living in Czech Republic

You have an article on your sites here:
http://www.expats.cz/prague/article/pra … of-living/

In this article are mentioned:
> accommodation prices (how much does it cost to rent or to buy an accommodation in Czech Republic?)
> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...)
> food prices(per month, how much does it cost you?)
> energy prices (oil, electricity)
> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone)
> prices of a good menu in a traditional restaurant
> prices of a beer and or a coffee in a regular pub

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Some extension:
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I live in Prague (the capital city, about 1 200 000 inhabitants, the biggest and most expensive city).

Current rates from Czech National Bank
http://www.cnb.cz/en/financial_markets/ … /daily.jsp

16.Sep 2008
Country|Currency|Amount|Code|Rate
Australia|dollar|1|AUD|13.404
Canada|dollar|1|CAD|15.752
EMU|euro|1|EUR|24.070
New Zealand|dollar|1|NZD|11.079
Slovakia|koruna|100|SKK|79.544
United Kingdom|pound|1|GBP|30.185
USA|dollar|1|USD|16.873

> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc ...) - extension:
bus and train tickets (inside CR) usually max. 1,- CZK per 1 km
- Czech Railways provide many types of reductions (return tickets, group tickets etc.)

> health prices (for those who need medical insurance)
- it should be free for all citizens, but from 1.1.2008 is valid an unpopular regulation – “regulation fees”- for each visit at the doctor and for each unit pack of prescribed medicine must be paid 30,- CZK (besides the previous rule for paying the difference between the whole price and the price, which pay the health insurance company – for example the whole price is 90,-, but the health insurance company pay for this type of medicine only 70,-, so the pacient pays 20,-), for 1 day in the hospital 60,- CZK etc.
- the ambulance fortunately remains free (if you call ambulance, you don't pay anything; but if you will be then in a hospital, you will pay 60,-CZK per day)
- if you are for example homeless and nobody is paying the insurance, you will be though treated (in urgent case) and not left on the street

- at least 1080,- CZK per month must be given for each person to his/her health insurance company
- for children, students, etc. it pays the state
- employees pay 4,5 % of gross wage (if it's less than 1080,- CZK, they must pay the difference – it can happen, when you have more jobs in the same time)
- the self-employed people etc. pay also at least 1080,- CZK per month

> education prices (if you need to pay)
FREE:
1) basic (primary) schools – compulsory for all children (9 years – from the age of 6 years), it's free, children needn't to buy most of the textbooks – they borrowed them at school; there exist also a few private schools, which are expensive and use alternative methods of teaching
2) vocational schools (2-4 years) and secondary schools (4 years) – students usually must pass entrance exams, most of them are free state schools, students must buy most of the textbooks, only a few are provided by the school; there some private schools – usually attended by children who failed in the entrance exams of state schools (usually have lower level than state schools)
3) universities (3 years – bachelor degree, +2 years – master degree, ...) – most of them are public, state are schools for policemen and soldiers; there exist also private universities - usually have lower level than public and are attended by students who failed in the entrance exams of public schools

In fact there also exist some good private schools, but it's a minority and they are very expensive.

PAID:
4) school of music, dance, drama or art (for children in the afternoon, usually once a week)
- for a half of school year – small children 900,-; older children 1000,- to 1400,-
5) languague schools
- the cheapest are from 2500,- per half a school year, 1,5 hour per week (lower level – usually not native speakers)
- more expensive about 6000,- or 8000,- per the same (sometimes for 3 hours per week) but on higher level (native speakers etc.)

> price of the cinema
Larger cinemas with multiple viewing rooms
adults: from 139,- to 169,- CZK
students, children, seniors: from 119,- to 129,-
family (2a+2ch): from 444,- to 500,-

Smaller (one viewing room) or outside town and shopping center cinemas
- usually depends on the title
adults: from 70,- to 135,-
students, children, seniors: from 40,- to 95,-
family: 380,-

Others:

> Theatre and opera

The National Theatre (full-dress required)
- drama usually from 150 to 300,- CZK,
- evening ballet or opera max. 1400,- CZK
(+ exist discounts for tickets at the first and second galleries for students and disabled persons – prices of these ticket from 30,- CZK)

smaller theathres – about 300,- CZK

The State Opera Prague (full-dress required)
Ballet – afternoon 200,- to 400,- CZK, evening 250,- to 800,- CZK
Opera – afternoon 250,- to 400,- CZK, evening 400,- to 1150,- CZK
(places with worse view 100,- CZK)

> Entrance fee for muzeums and galleries in Prague

More famous and bigger muzeums and galleries
from 100,- to 150,- CZK for adults
from 50,- to 80,- CZK for students, children, seniors, etc.
from 150,- to 400,- for families

Less famous or smaller muzeums
max. 60,- CZK for adults
half price for students, children, seniors, etc.

> Swimming pools
1,5 hour max. about 90,- CZK, discounts for children, students and seniors
(smaller pools out of center are cheaper)

> Aquaparks
3 hours to 450,- CZK for adults (but also 200,- CZK)
3 hours to 300,- CZK for children to 150 cm height (but also 115,- CZK for children or students or seniors)

> Postal charge
Ordinary Standard Letter (up to 50g) (within CR) 10,- CZK
Registered mail Standard (within CR) 26,- CZK
Ordinary mail - international:
Weight: Europe / non-European countries – priority / non-European countries - economic
- up to 20 g (inclusive): 17,- CZK / 18,- CZK / 17,- CZK
- up to 50 g (inclusive): 21,- CZK / 24,- CZK / 21,- CZK
... etc.
- up to 2 kg (inclusive): 300,- CZK / 400,- CZK / 300,- CZK
Aerogram: 8,- CZK / 8,- CZK / ---

SALARIES

The official information on sites of Czech Statistical Office says:
“In Q2 2008, seasonally adjusted average gross monthly nominal wage (hereinafter only the “average wage“) accounted for CZK 23,182.
Results of structural statistics providing data on employeesŽ earnings show that almost two thirds of employees have a lower wage than the national average.
It should be mentioned that an employee receives net salary, while the gross wage is such from which the employer pays appropriate amounts on health and social insurance, policy of
employment and advance income tax.“

The net salary from gross salary 23,182 CZK is approximately 17 600,- CZK. Almost two thirds of employees have lower salary!

By law: The minimum wages for 40 working hours per week is 48,10 CZK per hour or 8000,- CZK per month.

This is maybe also interesting:

OCCUPATION sub-major group        YEAR 2007 average gross earnings in total (CZK/month)
Corporate managers                 54 936
Legislators and senior officials     39 824
Life science and health professionals   38 699
General managers                     38 503
Physical, math. and engineering science professionals     38 181
Other professionals     34 186
Physical and engineering science assoc.professionals     28 586
Other associate professionals     27 392
Teaching professionals     26 228
Armed forces     24 779
Life science and health associate professionals     22 679
Metal, machinery and related trades workers     21 389
Stationary-plant and related operators     21 275
Drivers and mobile-plant operators     20 873
Teaching associate professionals     20 834
Extraction and building trades workers     20 567
Office clerks     20 405
Machine operators and assemblers     18 658
Precision,handicraft,printing and related trades workers     18 225
Customer services clerks     18 155
Market-oriented skilled agricultural and fishery workers     16 875
Personal and protective services workers     15 871
Labourers in mining,constr.,manufacturing and transport     15 662
Other craft and related trades workers     15 440
Models, salespersons and demonstrators     14 856
Sales and services elementary occupations     12 238
Agricultural, fishery and related labourers     (14 275)

Resources:
http://www.czso.cz/eng/csu.nsf/informace/apmz082708.doc
http://www.czso.cz/csu/2008edicniplan.n … 908C01.pdf
http://www.czso.cz/csu/2008edicniplan.n … 09-08-2007

i have been offered a job at IBM Brno I am married and intend traveling  with my wife. can i have a decent appartment / flat, eat healthy meals buy an average car  on 18250k as net salary.?
Thanks for your reply

I too am curious about the wages in Czech Republic as I am intending to seek a job there.I am keen to know what type of wages should a Program Manager in an engineering field expect.I would appreciate any info.Thank you

Thank you, zase. That's an useful post.
Though, I want to know if Czech worths moving in for a job. Are there many jobs?