In an unprecedented shift, one in three Czechs considering relocation is now looking beyond major urban centers, particularly around Prague and Brno. This trend, significantly higher than the European average of 22%, reflects a growing housing affordability crisis in Czech metropolitan areas.
While the 1990s saw people voluntarily moving to suburbs for improved lifestyle in spacious family homes with gardens, today’s exodus is driven by necessity. A typical 70-square-meter apartment in Prague now costs over 11 million crowns, while similar properties in surrounding areas are available for under 8 million, dropping to below 7 million near Kladno.
Developers are responding to this shift, with companies like YIT planning significant projects in suburban areas. In Kladno alone, they’re developing over 180 units, with plans for an additional 800 apartments in the coming years. The city’s appeal lies in its comprehensive infrastructure and planned improvements in railway connections to Prague.
However, this urban exodus presents challenges. According to O2’s data, approximately quarter million non-residents commute to Prague daily, straining transportation infrastructure and reducing cities’ tax revenues. Experts from the National Economic Council warn that this trend necessitates increased infrastructure spending, creating a complex economic challenge for major cities.