If you’re going to use it while in Prague, I highly recommend downloading the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) app. I have to say it’s one of the best public transportation apps I’ve used. You can search routes and purchase for that specific trip or purchase day passes. Plus a day pass is good for 24 hrs, not just to the end of the current day, or 4 am the following day like you’ll find in some other places… many cities in Germany and France come to mind.
This was a 7-night stay…
Transportation to and from varies a lot, so I left it out of the above breakdown along with most incidental/one-time personal costs. But for those interested, in this particular case, I took a direct train from Karlovy Vary to Prague, 2nd class, at a cost of 215 CZK ($23.89). All other standard day-to-day expenses are included to give an idea of how much basic living costs in the area are. Groceries will sometimes include personal care items (i.e., toothpaste, deodorant, etc.).
** I try to use Rakuten whenever it’s an option; why not take the money? It works with a browser add-on, and there is also a mobile app. Note from the Ratuken site, “Stores pay us a commission for sending our members to their websites, and we share it with you. It’s that simple!” If you haven’t signed up yet, and are interested, please consider using this referral link to help support me, and get a signup bonus. I use it regularly and recommend it, but please look to decide if it’s right for you. When you sign up using the link, use it spending $, we each get $! The $ varies; I’ve recently seen at $40 and $30. They state, “Offer may be modified or canceled anytime.”
*** Google Fi provides my US phone number, free texts, and phone service for additional per-minute fees in most countries, and Airalo is an eSIM that I buy data on as I need in various parts of the world. I’ve included the Airalo $ as a per-day cost of whichever plan I had purchased to cover this period. In this case, I had the 50Gb/90day European Regional plan for $100. Prices will vary depending on the data package you purchase. If you’re interested in Google Fi and based in the U.S., you can use this paid link to sign up, which will give me a referral fee at no extra cost to you, and MAX3058 is my referral code for Airalo, which will get us both a little credit if you use it to signup and purchase a package.)
**** Of course, the currency exchange varied during the stay, so for simplicity, I used a rate of 23czk = 1 USD for cash transactions. Accommodations and some daily purchases made on cards are included at the converted price charged.
***** I don’t go to top-rated restaurants or into paid entry tourist attractions often. Though, I do eat out quite a bit; usually nothing special. To some extent, it’s somewhat more cost-effective this way, at least that’s what I’m telling myself. I try to be cost-conscious, eating as a local would; I think you could say like a backpacker/broke college student, that is LOL! I try to note any differences to this above. Living expenses will sometimes include personal care items (i.e., toothpaste, deodorant, etc.).
I’m striving to provide helpful information for people planning trips or a nomadic lifestyle, so if you have any ideas to make these posts more useful, please let me know. You can comment/DM on social media, in the comments below, or email at (MeanderingMax@gmail.com). I appreciate your support!
- Accommodation – $489.67* (includes 14€ city tax; additional information below)
- Getting around locally – $13.82 (This was a Prague city center 72 hr public transportation ticket costing 330 CZK)
- Living expenses – $172.50***** (groceries and eating out)
- Activities – $0
- Mobile phone/data – $13.69*** (Google Fi $5.91 and Airalo $7.78 – Because I travel so much Google Fi has cut off my international data… Find out more about it here. My new setup is a combination of Google Fi and Airalo. See below for more info and referral links)
- Medical insurance – $16.13 (I’m using SafetyWing; rates are determined by age, and mine is slightly above the base. If you’re interested, there is a paid link/banner on the right side of the page)
- I stayed at the Harmony Hotel booked through Expedia. The location of the Harmony Hotel is in Praha 1 and very nice if you like to be close to the center of it all. It was a pretty basic hotel room, but had all the basics I look for; a refrigerator, hot water kettle, desk, and a decent shower. I think the only slight downside is they don’t have air conditioning and there was a bit of a heat wave while I was there. They did however provide a fan which did help quite a bit.
