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Prague on a budget
Prague is cheap in the places locals use and expensive in the six streets visitors never leave. The gap is wider here than in almost any European capital, and closing it is worth more than any discount card.
Two people can do the same Prague weekend for 250 € or for 700 € without either of them feeling like they economised or splurged. The difference is not effort. It is four or five decisions, most of them made in the first two hours.
Where the money actually goes
| Item | Share of a typical weekend | How much you can move it |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | 55–65 per cent | A lot — district choice halves it |
| Food and drink | 20–30 per cent | A lot — two metro stops changes everything |
| Transport | 3–5 per cent | Barely worth optimising |
| Attractions | 5–10 per cent | Some — most viewpoints and churches are free |
| Money lost to bad rates | 0–15 per cent | Entirely avoidable |
That last row is the one nobody budgets for, and it is the reason this cluster of pages exists. Losing 15 per cent of your spending money at an exchange booth is not a rounding error — it is more than you will spend on transport for the entire trip.
The five decisions that matter
- Which district you book. The Old Town costs roughly double Vinohrady for the same standard of room. See where to stay.
- Where you change money — or whether you change any at all. See the exchange guide.
- Whether you accept dynamic currency conversion at the card terminal. Always decline; see the currency guide.
- Where you eat dinner. The same meal costs half as much three tram stops out.
- How you get in from the airport. 46 CZK versus 200 CZK versus a taxi that may be several times either.
Indicative 2026 prices. The spread between the first two rows is the whole argument of this page: it is the same beer.
What is free and genuinely worth doing
- Prague Castle grounds. Walking through the complex costs nothing; only the interiors are ticketed.
- Charles Bridge at eight in the morning. The single best free experience in the city.
- Petrin hill and the view back over the roofs. The funicular runs on an ordinary transport ticket.
- Riegrovy sady at sunset, where half of Vinohrady sits on the grass looking at the castle.
- The Jewish Quarter’s streets, though the synagogues and cemetery are ticketed.
- Naplavka, the riverbank below Vysehrad, especially the Saturday farmers’ market.
Prague charges 50 CZK per person per night in 2026, unchanged through the year. Under-18s are exempt. On a two-night trip for two adults that is 200 CZK, usually collected at the property rather than shown in the online price. See the tourist tax page.
Most of Prague is free to look at. The exceptions worth booking are the castle interiors, a river cruise at dusk, and the day trips out to Kutna Hora.
Frequently asked questions
Is Prague still cheap in 2026?
Compared with London, Paris or Amsterdam, yes — particularly food, drink and transport. Accommodation has caught up with Western Europe in the centre, averaging around 170 € a night there in 2025, so the savings now come from where you stay and eat rather than from the city being cheap across the board.
How much money do I need for a weekend in Prague?
Excluding flights and accommodation, budget around 1 500–2 500 CZK per person per day — roughly 60–100 € — for food, drink, transport and one paid attraction. You can do it comfortably on less if you eat outside the centre.
Is it cheaper to pay by card or cash in Prague?
Card, almost always — as long as you decline the terminal’s offer to charge you in your home currency. Your own bank’s rate beats both the terminal’s and any exchange booth’s.
What is the most expensive mistake tourists make in Prague?
Changing a weekend’s spending money at a ‘no commission’ exchange booth in the tourist streets. The margin is built into the rate and can take 15–20 per cent.