Thursday, 16 July 2026
Apartment rents increased across most major Czech cities during the second quarter of 2026, with the strongest annual growth recorded in smaller and medium-sized apartments, according to an analysis by the real estate platform UlovDomov.cz.
Monthly rents ranged from CZK 9,600 for a one-room apartment (1+kk) in Ostrava to CZK 32,880 for a three-room apartment (3+kk) in Prague. In most cities, rents for 2+kk and 3+kk apartments recorded the strongest annual growth.
In Prague, rents per square metre increased by 2% year-on-year for 1+kk apartments to CZK 529, while 2+kk apartments recorded a 14% increase to CZK 452 per sq m. Rents for 3+kk apartments declined by 5% to CZK 411 per sq m. A typical 55 sq m 2+kk apartment rented for approximately CZK 24,860 per month.
Brno also recorded strong rental growth, particularly for smaller apartments. Rents per square metre increased by 13% for 1+kk apartments to CZK 463, while both 2+kk and 3+kk apartments recorded annual increases of 14%, reaching CZK 366 and CZK 318 per sq m respectively. A model 55 sq m 2+kk apartment rented for around CZK 20,130 per month.
Rental trends were more mixed in other regional cities. In Olomouc, rents for 3+kk apartments increased by 17% year-on-year, while prices for two-room apartments remained broadly stable and rents for 2+1 apartments declined slightly. In Ostrava, rents for 1+kk and 2+kk apartments increased by 19%, while 3+kk rents remained unchanged from a year earlier. In Pilsen, the strongest increases were recorded for 1+1, 3+1 and 3+kk apartments, where rents rose between 14% and 16%.
Average monthly rents for a model 55 sq m 2+kk apartment reached approximately CZK 15,565 in Ostrava, CZK 15,840 in Olomouc and CZK 15,400 in Pilsen.
According to the UlovDomov Index, purchasing a home with a mortgage became less affordable relative to renting during the second quarter. The company said rising mortgage interest rates, combined with increasing residential property prices, continued to push up monthly mortgage repayments.
Data from the Czech Banking Association’s Hypomonitor showed the average mortgage interest rate increased to 4.67% in May from 4.52% in April.
The difference between mortgage repayments and rental costs remained most pronounced in Prague and Brno, where monthly mortgage payments for smaller and medium-sized apartments were approximately 50% to 100% higher than market rents. Ostrava continued to offer the closest balance between owning and renting, with mortgage repayments for 1+kk and 2+kk apartments only around 10% to 20% higher than rental costs. For larger 3+kk apartments in Ostrava, however, mortgage payments were still approximately 50% higher than rents.
Source: UlovDomov & CTK
