Life and work in Prague

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1 Life and work in Prague Prague is located in the very heart of Europe and is the capital city of Czech Republic. Prague is a smaller European capital city with just over 1,2 million inhabitants which makes it a very cozy and attractive city for living. It is considered one of the most beautiful and comfortable cities to live in Central Eastern Europe. According to the Mercer's 2011 Quality of Living Worldwide city rankings, Prague is again the best city for living in Eastern Europe and provides a very comfortable lifestyle at significantly lower costs than the majority of the other Central European cities. In the last decade Prague has developed into a truly international vibrant city attracting people from all over the world. It has an ever-growing expat community so you are bound to find your fellow country-men here which will help you adapt and integrate to life in Prague. Whilst Prague does offer a lot of benefits like the sights, culture, history, nature, well developed infrastructure, personal safety, convenient geographical location and of course excellent beer below are some very important points to consider when assessing the possible relocation to Prague: Cost of living and accommodation: As mentioned already Prague is a fairly unique city that provides it s inhabitants a very comfortable and high standard of life at very affordable prices comparing to the western neighbors. Accommodation cost/rent would make for roughly half of the fixed monthly costs: EUR( CZK) per month including all the utilities. This is an average for a msq flat in a fairly central yet calm residential area, just two metro stops from the very center. As in any city you could easily find cheaper apartment, so this is just an indication, but a very realistic one. Below is a fairly comprehensive table providing average costs for individual line items that hopefully will give you a good overview or real costs in Prague:

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3 Notes: This is a rough guide to prices only and all prices are based on a median. Prices include VAT (value added tax). The average costs were taken from the Tesco supermarket. An inexpensive meal for one was calculated at a main course, plus potatoes or dumplings, and two beers. The meal for two at a mid-range restaurant included the soup of the day, main courses, dessert and wine. Remember prices near the tourist centers are maybe 25% to 30% higher than the average. There are two caveats regarding housing prices and utilities. A number of factors will

4 determine rental price, such as proximity to historical areas, whether the flat is in a modern, old or panel building and the flat's size. Utilities will depend on heating and the energy efficiency of appliances. Comparing prices is advisable. Choosing the right company could save you considerable amounts. Transportation in Prague: Public transportation is very good and reliable in Prague and is considered to be one of the best in Europe. It is also fairly cheap: monthly pass with an OpenCard(Prague citizens card that you can apply for) is just 22 EUR and allows you to use all transport metro, bus, tram. One time tickets cost either 1Eur for 30 mins or 1,3 Eur for 90 mins. Schooling system and international schools Czech schooling and higher education systems are known for their quality, tradition and high standards. For example Charles University in Prague is one of the oldest Universities in Europe and it s Maths&Physics as well Computer Science faculties are known for upbringing very strong scientists and software developers, programmers. Public secondary schools in Czech Republic are also of high standards and are free of charge, however they are in Czech language. There are also quite a few private international schools in Prague. On top of that some embassies organize schools for their respective citizens that follow the national education system. Prague IT market overview Prague has a very big and very well developed IT Market with many large and mid-sized international companies who have their IT and development Centers in Prague. Software developers of pretty much any programming language are in huge demand so there are plenty of opportunities for them in Prague. Czech language is not required, only English and strong knowledge in programming language/technology (Java, C#/.Net, C++, QA/Testing, etc) of your choice Salaries in IT Market in Prague Whilst average salary across the whole of Czech Republic is only around EUR Gross p/m the average salaries for skilled software developers are considerably higher and are in the broad region of EUR Gross per month, respectively( CZK p/m Gross). The 3600 EUR and above is quite above the average but certain companies are able to pay these higher level salaries to talented, experienced developers. Higher salaries are possible for exceptionally skilled software developers and team leaders, managers. It really is individual, so take the average range provided above only as an indication, not as set in stone figures. Taxation system in Czech Republic The taxes in Czech Republic are ~30% and consist of income tax (19%) and mandatory social and medical insurance payments (~11%). So your Net income can roughly be calculated using the following simple formula: Gross Salary*0,7. There are some tax discounts if you have children, but these are minor (up to ~2K CZK saving) Local currency: Local currency is Czech Crown(CZK) as Czech Republic is not part of the EUR currency zone. 1 EUR costs approximately 25 CZK. Language

5 The only official state language is Czech (Slavic group of languages) but no reason to be concerned if you don t speak the language. You will be working in an international company with English language being the official business language. Outside of work you will easily get by with English only or a few basic phrases in Czech. The only place where Czech language might be required are the government offices, but being an EU citizen luckily you would not have to deal with them So the reality is that you will not feel any language barrier most of the expats don t speak Czech and live here very comfortably for years. This is not a bragging point of course, but rather a fact of life. EU citizens rights for work and residency in CZ As a citizen of an EU member state you don t require any visas or work permits to work and live in Czech Republic. So no restrictions or paperwork hassle Leisure in Prague and Czech Republic Prague offers not only countless routes for walks and sightseeing but has also a rich program for cultural activities opera, ballet, theaters and such. Needless to say there are hundreds of pubs, bars, restaurants catering for all possible cuisines and food preferences. For the active leisure you can choose from hiking, cycling, in-line skating on well maintained tracks, skiing in the winter in the nearby mountains (just 140 km from Prague city center) and many other activities. Czech Republic s nature is very varied and attractive and offers plenty of activities depending on your preferences. Useful links: Tradition, Culture and History Architecture Business Entertainment Education -