#LifeInCzechia Have you ever been on holiday and fallen instantly in love with the place? We get it! Other countries offer exciting new places to explore, the prospect of a unique and sometimes more relaxed lifestyle and of course, the chance to experience a different culture. That said, actually moving abroad full time is a different ball game. It is so much more than just an extended holiday; it’s about embracing and living a completely new lifestyle.
With so many wonderful places to emigrate to, it’s easy to see why thousands of people choose to go each year.
If you’re one of those people and you’re thinking about emigrating to the Czech Republic in the near future, we want to offer some advice before you take the leap. We’ve pulled together a list of seven things you should consider first.
You can have your belongings professionally shipped over to your new address.
1. Your living arrangements
One of the first and most important things you need to think about before moving to the Czech Republic is where you’re going to live. You might be planning to buy a home or you might just be looking for somewhere to rent. Either way, you need to take a look at the local housing market and average costs beforehand.
You also need to think carefully about where you want to live. For example, do you want to live in a busy city like Prague? Or perhaps you want to live somewhere more rural like Pilsen or South Bohemia?
You need to consider all of the above and begin looking for somewhere to stay before you move out of your current home. It can be useful to join local housing groups on social media or perhaps sign up with a local estate agent – even if you have to do all of your communication and viewings virtually.
2. Visa requirements
Before you buy a place or sign up for a rental agreement, you first need to make sure that you actually have the right to live and work there. Although you’ll have several (3) months where you can visit without a visa, if you wish to stay longer you will have to meet the Czech government’s entry requirements.
In order to do this, you need to think about what you’ll be doing there, will you be working? Are you retired? Will you be setting up a new business? All of this will impact your visa.
So before you commit to buying a property or packing up your life, be sure to check the visa requirements and whether you’ll be accepted first.
3. How you’ll earn your money
Another important part of living abroad is working there, and you need to consider how you’re going to support yourself in the Czech Republic. Perhaps you have a business at home that you plan to run remotely? Maybe you’re going to be looking for work or your company has offered you a new role in a regional office?
Whatever the case may be, before you leave, it’s a good idea to get to grips with the local job market out there and perhaps even start looking for jobs if you’re going to need one. This way, you won’t be left worried about money before you’ve even begun your new life.
It’s also a good idea to have some savings behind you just in case of an emergency or a delay in starting your new job.
4. The cost of living
It’s beneficial to know roughly how much money you’ll need to be earning or have saved to get you through an average month. So before you finalise all the details, take a look at average living costs in Czechia. You should take into account:
- Rent or mortgage payments
- Utility bills
- Phone and internet
- Food shopping
- Socialising
- Transport
- Healthcare
Average living costs in the Czech Republic are considered to be very affordable and you’re looking at around $350 to $750 a month, including food, accommodation and transport.
5. The healthcare system
Being able to access healthcare when you need it is crucial, so it’s a good idea to find out about the local healthcare system before you go.
In the Czech Republic, you’ll need to have health insurance to cover a lot of healthcare costs and you might be asked to prove you have this as part of your visa application.
However, it might be possible to join the state health insurance scheme if you’re employed by a Czech employer, self-employed, a permanent resident or a dependant of the above.
Whatever the case, it’s important to look into this before you leave, especially if you have existing health problems.
6. What you’ll do with your belongings
Depending on whether you plan on moving permanently or temporarily, and whether you’re renting or buying, you’ll need to think carefully about what you’re going to do with all your belongings and furniture. Your options are:
- Have these professionally shipped over to your new address
- Sell everything you don’t need
- Put some of your belongings into storage for a while until you decide what to do with them
If you’re buying a home, you might want to take all your current furniture with you. Alternatively, you might be planning to buy everything new when you get out there. Whatever you want to do, you need to think ahead about whether you’re going to need extra luggage on the plane or if you’re going to have to arrange a specialist courier service.
7. Whether it’s a safe place to live
Last but certainly not least, it’s important to know that your new home is going to be a safe place to live, as some countries pose higher risks than others.
The good news is that the Czech Republic is considered to be one of the safest destinations to live in according to the Global Peace Index 2019.
There are several reasons for this, including its safe communities, low crime rates, difficulty accessing weapons and the low impact and threat of terrorism.
You can take the stress and cost out of travelling by using a luggage shipping service like My Baggage. Their dedicated team will collect your bags from your door and have them waiting at your hotel or accommodation for you when you arrive. That way, you can have a pleasant and stress-free trip and skip queues at the carousel.
Photo source: Vlada Karpovich, pexels.com
