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Cost of Living: Prague vs Rome (2026)

Czech Republic vs Italy — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Prague
Rome
$1,228/mo
Rent

1BR centre

$1,355/mo
$14k/yr
Take-home savings

At each city's local median pay

−$10k/yr
5 yr
PR path
5 yr
Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

Impatriati Regime, Regime Forfettario, New Residents Flat Tax, 7% Retiree Flat Tax
Freelance setup
OSVČ
  • VAT-free under €80k
  • 29% social
  • €500/yr accountant
WiseStripe
Regime Forfettario
  • VAT-free under €85k
  • 26% social
  • €1000/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated April 2026

TL;DRRome is safer — homicide rate 0.5 vs 2.0 per 100k. Rome summers average 86°F vs 73°F. Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
Prague edges ahead 78 to 70. Rome isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.
Household
Prague
Metric
Rome
$722/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
lower is better
$635/mo
$6,230
🧳
Cost to land
lower is better
$7,957
83 / 100
🛡️
Settler safety
higher is better
81 / 100
2.0 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
lower is better
0.5 / 100k
5.2 / 100k
🚗
Road deaths
lower is better
5.0 / 100k
75 / 100
🚨
Safety Index
higher is better
53 / 100
73°F
☀️
Summer high
personal taste
86°F
28°F
❄️
Winter low
personal taste
37°F
137 Mbps
Internet speed
higher is better
75 Mbps
12.1 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
lower is better
12.7 μg/m³
81 / 100
🏥
Healthcare
higher is better
82 / 100
8.1 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
higher is better
7.6 / 10
30 / 100
🏳️‍🌈
Rainbow Index
higher is better
25 / 100
57/100
🗣️
Street English
higher is better
29/100
$57k
💼
GDP per capita
higher is better
$62k
2.4% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
lower is better
1.0% · Practically frozen
72/100 — Mostly stable
Grid reliability
higher is better
89/100 — Mostly stable
95/100
🗽
Freedom House
higher is better
87/100
A median Software Engineer in Prague takes home $4,147/mo under Standard employee. In Rome: $2,342/mo under Standard employee.
$1,805/mo more in Prague
🎯 Rome's Impatriati Regime isn't modelled above — if you qualify, take-home would be $2,950/mo instead.
Each city pays its own median — Software Engineer gross via Levels.fyi / Eurostat. Moving changes your salary too; that's the point.
$68k
💰
Gross income
$45k
−$10k
🏛️
Income tax
Standard employee
−$13k
−$8k
🛡️
Social contributions
−$4k
$50k/yr
$4k/mo
💵
Take-home pay
$28k/yr
$2k/mo
−$36k
🏠
Cost of living
−$38k
$14k/yr
🐖
Annual savings
−$10k/yr
Swap the local medians for your actual number

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Prague
$127/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Rome
0.5 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Prague
8.1/10 EIU index
☀️
Weather
73°F vs 86°F summers
🗣️
English
Prague
higher proficiency score

Sun

How much sky you actually get

46% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
63% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
8.1h
Shortest day
Dec
9.1h
16.4h
Longest day
Jun
15.2h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

improving
Democracy trend
stable
improving
Inflation trend
improving
cybersecuritytravel-techenterprise-softwareai
Industries
governmenttourismmediaaerospace
active
Startup ecosystem
nascent
Moderate
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
Easy
EU visa
Easy
Complex
RU visa
Complex
Easy
UA visa
Easy
Partner can work immediately
Spouse works
Partner can work immediately
Not recognized
registrované partnerství
Partner pathway
Not recognized
unione civile / convivenza di fatto (no immigration rights)
Retiree visa
2,583/mo

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
12 wk
Gestational limit
12 wk

On request up to 12 weeks. For medical reasons up to 24 weeks.

On request up to 90 days. 7-day waiting period. High rates of conscientious objection limit practical access.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Civil union
Marriage
Civil union
Step-child only
Adoption
Step-child only
Yes
Job protection
Yes
Yes
Hate crime law
No

Prague vs Rome — Common Questions

Is Prague cheaper than Rome?

Prague is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1228/month there vs $1355/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Prague or Rome?

Rome is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Prague has a rate of 1.99 per 100,000 and Rome has 0.55 per 100,000.

Should I move to Prague or Rome?

Prague edges ahead 78 to 70. Rome isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Prague or Rome?

Prague: Czech Trade License (Živnostenský list) (moderate requirements, Ongoing). Rome: Italy Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 1 year (renewable)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Which has better weather, Prague or Rome?

Rome is warmer in summer (86°F vs 73°F). Prague has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Can I live in Prague or Rome without speaking the local language?

Prague is easier for street-level English (57/100) than Rome (29/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Prague vs Rome?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $1228/month in Prague, $1355/month in Rome (Numbeo). That's 9% cheaper rent in Prague.

Is Prague or Rome better for democracy and rule of law?

Prague scores 8.1/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 7.6/10 for Rome. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

Let the algorithm judge you

2 min quiz — surprisingly accurate

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