Budget for a family of 4 in Prague (84.5k CZK net) – Surviving on ~500 CZK/day for everyday expenses. Is this realistic long-term?
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share our current monthly budget to get some feedback and perspective from other families.
We are a family of four (two adults, one child in primary school, one in preschool). Our net household monthly income is approximately 84,581 CZK.
After fixed living costs, insurances, and cross-border obligations, we have 19,597 CZK left for everyday spending. This gives us 500 CZK/day (~15,000 CZK/month) for variable daily expenses (groceries, household consumables, small activities), plus a ~4,597 CZK buffer for irregular costs.
Monthly Budget Breakdown (Sept 2026 – March 2027)
| Category / Expense Item | Amount (CZK) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Housing & Local Utilities (CZ) | ||
| Rent | 19,200 | Base rent |
| Building Service Charges & Utilities | 9,851 | Monthly advance/service charge |
| Electricity | 1,690 | Direct utility |
| Gas | 740 | Direct utility |
| Family & Childcare | ||
| Wife’s Personal Allowance | 9,150 | Monthly personal fund |
| Children’s Insurance | 6,048 | Two kids |
| Kid 1 (Primary School) | ~1,600 | School meals, supplies, fees |
| Kid 2 (Kindergarten / Preschool) | 1,200 | Monthly fee / meals |
| Wife’s Insurance | ~1,500 | Personal insurance |
| Pensions & Local Subscriptions | ||
| My Pension Fund | 5,700 | Retirement savings |
| Wife’s Pension Fund | 1,700 | Retirement savings |
| Phone Plans | 2,000 | Family mobile plans |
| Digital Services (Google + YouTube) | 1,400 | Cloud storage & media (1,000 + 400) |
| Personal Fund (Audible / Phone) | 800 | Audiobooks & personal media |
| Legal / Administrative Fees | 300 | Ongoing document fees |
| Obligations & Investments in Ukraine | (Converted from UAH to ~3,155 CZK total) | |
| Two Apartments (Maintenance / HOA) | ~2,010 | B38 & S969 unit obligations (510 + 1,500 UAH) |
| Motorcycle Parking Space | ~1,900 | YBR 125 garage/parking fee (1,900 UAH) |
| Micro-Investments (Deposits + Pension) | ~1,400 | Minimum activity maintenance (800 + 600 UAH) |
| Total Fixed & Committed Expenses | 64,984 CZK |
Summary
- Net Monthly Income: ~84,581 CZK
- Total Fixed Outflow: 64,984 CZK
- Remaining Everyday Budget: 19,597 CZK
- Daily baseline (30 days @ 500 CZK/day): 15,000 CZK
- Buffer / Emergency Savings: 4,597 CZK
Main Concerns & Discussion Points:
- Building Utilities: Our service charges sit at nearly 10,000 CZK/month (on top of electricity and gas), which is an expense we did not have four years ago and takes a massive share of the net income.
- Everyday Spending: 500 CZK/day must cover all groceries, household necessities, and miscellaneous family needs for four people. While it is manageable right now, it requires strict discipline.
We plan to keep this structure for the next 12 months before doing a full review.
How does this grocery/daily baseline compare to what other families of four spend in Czechia? Are there obvious areas you would cut or optimize?