Prague is central Europe’s most visited city — a medieval capital of extraordinary architectural preservation (Prague was largely undamaged in the Second World War), that has transformed in the three decades since 1989 from a Soviet-era closed city into one of the most dynamic, internationally connected and liveable mid-sized capitals in Europe. It is also, increasingly, a significant technology and business hub: Avast (antivirus), Kiwi.com, Productboard, Rohlik and dozens of other tech companies are based here, and global firms including Amazon, IBM, Accenture, DHL and many others operate European back-office and technology centres in Prague. For UK professionals, Prague offers an extraordinary quality of historic city life, a cost of living still meaningfully below western Europe, and a tech and professional services sector that is actively recruiting English-speaking talent.
Why UK Nationals Choose Prague
- Cost of living — Prague remains 35–50% cheaper than London for equivalent quality of housing, food and daily life. Central European salaries are lower than London for local roles, but for remote workers or those in multinational back-office functions, the cost advantage is substantial
- Historic beauty — Prague’s Old Town, Lesser Town, Castle District and Art Nouveau streets are among the most beautiful urban environments in the world. Living here provides daily exposure to extraordinary architecture
- Central European tech hub — Prague has the most developed tech ecosystem in central Europe outside Warsaw. The Czech Republic punches significantly above its weight in cybersecurity (Avast), travel tech (Kiwi.com), product management software (Productboard) and B2B SaaS
- EU connectivity — Czech Republic is an EU member (though not yet eurozone — it uses the Czech koruna). Living in Prague provides freedom of movement across the EU for work and travel
- Short distances — Prague is 4.5 hours from Vienna by train, 4 hours from Dresden, and has direct flights to London (2 hours). Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland are all within short driving or rail distance. Prague functions as a hub for central European travel
Prague Neighbourhoods: Where to Live
Vinohrady — Prague’s most sought-after residential neighbourhood for expats. Beautiful Art Nouveau apartment buildings, excellent restaurants and cafés (Náměstí Míru and Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad are the social centres), parks, young professional demographic. High quality, relatively affordable by western standards.
Žižkov — adjacent to Vinohrady, historically working class and bohemian, now rapidly gentrifying. More affordable than Vinohrady, strong local character, excellent nightlife. The Žižkov Television Tower (with the crawling babies) is a Prague landmark. Popular with younger expats.
Holešovice — northern Prague, site of the DOX contemporary art centre and an increasingly popular co-working and startup cluster. Large warehouses converted to offices, studios and event spaces. Young, creative, more affordable. A significant expat community.
Dejvice — residential, professional, family-friendly. Near Prague 6 embassies and government buildings. Quieter than Vinohrady, popular with families and senior professionals.
Smíchov — western Prague, across the Vltava from the Old Town. More affordable, well-connected by Metro (Line B), large residential buildings, younger demographic.
Prague 1 (Staré Město / Malá Strana / Hradčany) — the historic core. Beautiful but primarily tourist-facing. Small residential population, very expensive, not ideal for daily living unless you want to be at the centre of everything.
Cost of Living in Prague
| Category | Monthly cost (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment (Vinohrady/Žižkov) | CZK 22,000 – 35,000 (~£790–£1,260) |
| 1-bedroom apartment (Holešovice/Smíchov) | CZK 18,000 – 28,000 (~£650–£1,010) |
| Monthly transport pass (Opencard monthly) | CZK 550 (~£20) |
| Groceries (one person) | CZK 5,000 – 8,000 (~£180–£290) |
| Eating out (mid-range) | CZK 200 – 450 per person (~£7–£16) |
Prague is significantly cheaper than London in almost every category. The combination of lower housing costs, extremely low transport costs and cheaper food and eating out makes Prague one of Europe’s best-value capital cities for quality of life.
Post-Brexit: Visa and Residency
UK nationals need a Czech long-stay visa or Employee Card for stays over 90 days.
Employee Card (Zaměstnanecká karta) — the combined work and residence permit for employed professionals. Your Czech employer submits the application to the Czech Ministry of the Interior on your behalf. Processing typically takes 2–4 months. The Employee Card is valid for up to 2 years and renewable.
Long-stay visa for the purpose of business — for self-employed individuals and business founders, a separate visa category applies.
After arrival: Register your address at the Foreign Police (Odbor cizinecké policie) within 3 working days of arrival if you are staying in a hotel or guesthouse, or 30 days if in private accommodation (landlord typically handles this). Obtain your rodné číslo equivalent — foreign nationals are assigned a personal identification number by the Czech authorities after registration.
The most important practical step: register with the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) and your local health insurance company (zdravotní pojišťovna) for healthcare coverage within 8 days of starting employment.
Shipping Your Belongings to Prague
Easy Move operates regular groupage services from the UK to the Czech Republic, with delivery to Prague. Transit time from London is typically 3–5 working days. EU customs documentation included. Get a free quote for removals to the Czech Republic.
Frequently Asked Questions: Moving to Prague from the UK
What is the Employee Card and how do I get one for Prague?
The Employee Card is the Czech Republic’s combined work and residence permit for employed non-EU nationals. Your Czech employer applies to the Ministry of the Interior on your behalf. Processing takes 2–4 months. The card is valid for 2 years and renewable. You must have a confirmed job offer before the application can be submitted.
Is Prague still affordable for UK expats?
Prague remains 35–50% cheaper than London for housing and daily life. Dining out, public transport and groceries are dramatically cheaper than London. Housing has risen significantly in the past decade but remains well below western European capitals. Remote workers on London or US salaries find Prague exceptionally affordable.
Do I need Czech to live in Prague?
For most international tech company roles and multinational back-office positions, English is the working language. For local Czech companies, Czech is expected. For daily life — supermarkets, restaurants, transport — English is widely understood in central Prague. Learning Czech is valuable for full integration but not immediately essential in international work contexts.
How long does a removal from the UK to Prague take?
Easy Move’s typical transit from London to Prague is 3–5 working days, with EU customs documentation included.
What are the practical first steps after arriving in Prague?
1. Register your address with the Foreign Police within the required deadline. 2. Obtain your personal identification number from Czech authorities. 3. Register with a Czech health insurance company within 8 days of starting employment. 4. Open a Czech bank account (requires residence registration). 5. Notify HMRC in the UK with form P85.
Ready to move? Our team handles the full process: packing, customs and delivery.