A new report from the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) compares life in Prague with 11 other European cities, following a typical resident’s day—from housing and commuting to work, education, and leisure. Based on verified data collected directly from partner cities, the study highlights both Prague’s strengths and its biggest challenges. Prague Has Some of Europe’s Least Affordable Housing The report found that Prague has the least affordable owner-occupied housing among the cities compared.
Buying an apartment requires more than 13 years of gross salary, placing Prague alongside cities such as Barcelona, Munich, and Amsterdam. Unlike many Western European cities, Prague also lacks relatively affordable rental housing. Renting a 60-square-meter apartment costs around 40% of the average salary in Prague.
By comparison, the same apartment would consume about 28% of average income in Munich and just 14% in Vienna. Strong Job Market, But Lower Incomes Prague continues to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, making it relatively easy to find work. However, real incomes remain below those of most Western European capitals.
Workers in Munich earn roughly 50% more than those in Prague, while wages in cities such as Copenhagen have grown steadily over the past decade. Although Prague residents now work fewer hours than they did ten years ago—less than 39 hours per week on average—they still work around three hours more each week than people in many Western European cities. Public Transport Is One of Prague’s Biggest Strengths Prague ranks among Europe’s top cities for public transport.
Around 70% of residents use public transport regularly, while 87% report being satisfied with the service. The city’s extensive tram, metro, and rail networks make commuting easy, and the system stands out for its reliability, dense coverage, and affordability. A monthly public transport pass costs less than 1% of the average monthly income, making Prague one of the most affordable cities for public transport after Barcelona.
Car Ownership Continues to Rise Despite having one of Europe’s best public transport systems, Prague continues to see a steady increase in car ownership. Together with Warsaw and Bucharest, Prague is one of the few cities in the study where the number of registered cars is still growing significantly.
Summary from source