Prague on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Prague works well on a budget: much of its beauty is in streets, bridges and squares you can walk for free, and pub food and beer are still reasonably priced. Plan on about 2,200 CZK per person per day (a bed in a shared double about 1,100 CZK, food 600 CZK, sights 400 CZK, transport 120 CZK), or less in a hostel.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | CZK1,100 | CZK2,000 | CZK4,000 |
| Food & drink | CZK600 | CZK1,200 | CZK2,500 |
| Sights & tickets | CZK400 | CZK800 | CZK1,300 |
| Local transport | CZK120 | CZK120 | CZK500 |
| Per person, per day | CZK2,220 | CZK4,120 | CZK8,300 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Prague day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking the Charles Bridge, best before 7:30 or after 22:30
- Prague Castle courtyards and the changing of the guard at the main gate (full ceremony at noon)
- The Astronomical Clock's hourly show on Old Town Square, from 9:00
- Vyšehrad fortress grounds and the cemetery with the graves of Dvořák, Smetana and Mucha
- Letná Park for the view of the bridges at sunset
- Wallenstein Garden in Malá Strana and the Lennon Wall and Kampa Island nearby (the garden is open roughly April to October)
Cheap eats
- Chlebíčky (open sandwiches) from a lahůdky deli: about 30–70 CZK each
- Koláče from a bakery: about 30–70 CZK each
- Fried cheese (smažený sýr) in a pub: roughly 160–260 CZK
- Goulash with dumplings on a weekday lunch menu: roughly 180–320 CZK
- Half-litre of tank beer in a local pub: about 55–90 CZK
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Žižkov and Vinohrady, about 10 minutes by tram from the centre, where a double costs roughly 1,800–2,800 CZK a night, or in New Town (Nové Město). Hostel dorm beds in the centre are often in the range of roughly 400–800 CZK a night, more in summer and at weekends. Remember the city tax of about 50 CZK per person per night.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the centre and buy a 24-hour (about 120 CZK) or 72-hour public transport ticket for trams and metro. From the airport, the cheapest route is city bus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín and then metro A into the centre on a single public transport ticket; the Airport Express bus to the main station costs a little more.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Walk the Charles Bridge early, coffee and a koláč from a bakery (about 100 CZK)
- Lunch: Weekday polední menu in a pub, with a beer (about 250 CZK)
- Afternoon: Prague Castle circuit ticket (about 450 CZK), then free Malá Strana and Kampa
- Evening: Chlebíčky and two beers in a Vinohrady pub (about 200 CZK), sunset at Letná for free
- Total: about 2,200 CZK with a budget bed (about 1,100 CZK) and a 24-hour ticket (120 CZK)
More ways to save
- Choose one paid ticket per day (Castle circuit or Jewish Museum) and fill the rest with free bridges, gardens and viewpoints.
- Stay in Žižkov or Vinohrady and take the tram in; you save on the room and eat more cheaply too.
- Buy picnic food from supermarkets (Albert, Billa, Lidl) and eat it in Letná, Riegrovy sady or on the Náplavka embankment.
- Visit in January, February or early March, when rooms are cheapest.
- Treat trdelník and Prague ham on the square as tourist snacks and spend that money on a proper pub meal.
- Ask for tap water in restaurants and order beer by the half-litre in pubs, which is often cheaper than soft drinks.
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Common questions
How much money do I need per day in Prague?
About 2,200 CZK per person on a budget, about 4,100 CZK mid-range and about 8,300 CZK in comfort, including a bed in a shared double.
What is free in Prague?
The Charles Bridge, the Castle courtyards and guard change, the Astronomical Clock show, Vyšehrad, Letná Park, the Lennon Wall and Kampa Island.
What is the cheapest way from the airport?
Bus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín and then metro A into the centre, on a single public transport ticket.