Utilities in the Czech Republic and How Much Will You Pay for Them

Paying for utilities can be pretty confusing. Some landlords in the Czech Republic have fixed prices that they use for paying the utilities and tenants pay it as a part of the rent or they pay for the utilities themselves. But what is really hidden behind the word, utilities? What do you need to watch out for? How to save money for utilities? What is the approximate price that you would pay? Let’s find out!

The prices? Depends.

When searching for an apartment for the very first time, you probably have no idea what to expect regarding prices. Much less for prices of utilities. However, generalizing these prices is extremely hard. There are several things that you need to consider while you count your utilities:

• Do I have central heating?
  Some buildings do, some don’t you should ask your landlord about this.
• Is the heating powered by electricity?
  Some are powered by electricity, some are powered by a boiler. Depending on this your price of either electricity or water will be higher.
  Generally speaking, 6,550 CZK a  year for a 2-bedroom apartment is a realistic estimation. In winter you may spend more money on the heating, whilst in summer you won’t have to use the heating at all.
• In what area am I living?
  Your location is a big factor that influences the prices of utilities the most. A person living in a village will pay a very different price compared to someone living in the centre of Brno. 
• Am I living in the city centre?
  Even areas in big cities vary greatly. For example Wi-Fi in Brno: one would assume that such a big city will have great coverage everywhere but that’s not the case! Some rural areas, for example, don’t even have the possibility to have optic cables.
  The cheapest plans for Wi-Fi is around 450 CZK a month.
• Do you cook on a gas stove or on an electrical one?
  If your stove works with electricity, gas is something that you don’t have to concern yourselves with. However, if it is powered by gas, it is one more energy source that you should count with.
• How big is my apartment?
  Of course, studio apartments will have much lower expenses than 2-bedroom apartments, therefore the size of your apartment is something that you should take into consideration.
• In what group of the Energy Performance Certificate is my apartment?
  Is your apartment in an old apartment building from the last century or is it in a newly built/reconstructed building? That is also something that influences how much you pay for heating your apartment. 

What can I do to influence this?

As I’ve mentioned, the price of your utilities is highly influenced by the location of your apartment, however, there are some ways how you can influence it and even predict your expenses.

• Lightbulbs – Especially if you have more rooms in your apartment, it is useful to get more ecological light bulbs. Some apartments still have old lightbulbs that nobody thought to replace and getting new ones can do wonders to your electricity usage. 
• Broken tap or broken toilet – It happens sometimes that water tap or toilet breaks – they start leaking water a little bit but not enough to call it a disaster. However, if any of them are leaking, this little detail can add even 20,000 CZK to your water expenses!
• Pick a good Wi-Fi provider – Depending on your area, different providers have different packages and different coverage, scout the providers wisely!
• Don’t let light/water on unless necessary – It may seem like an obvious fact but leaving light or water on for no reason is surprisingly common and it will affect the price for utilities greatly.

Do you need help with getting your apartment in the Czech Republic? Foreigners are here to help with everything that concerns finding the apartment, signing the contract, or moving in! Just lets us know and we will get back to you!