Your Complete Guide to Working Remotely from the Czech Republic

I was hosted by Visit Czech Republic for a portion of my most recent visit to the country. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was so fired up about the idea of working remotely from the Czech Republic! Sure, the time difference was a bit wild for me considering my job is based in Los Angeles, but the pros (cool historic cities, awesome pub and cafe culture, wine…) outweighed the cons. I jumped at the chance. 

I recently spent one month working remotely from the Czech Republic, and I gotta say, I really enjoyed the experience! If you’ve been wondering what the best countries to work remotely are, and are strongly considering Europe, the Czech Republic should be high on your list.

This guide will show you the pros and cons – as well as my personal experience – detailing everything you need to know about basing yourself in this central European country for a couple weeks, a month, or more.

RELATED: Essential Remote Work Tools for Successful Work Anywhere

Why the Czech Republic?

The Czech Republic – specifically, Prague – is a hot destination for remote workers and digital nomads. In fact, Prague consistently ranks as one of the world’s best cities for working remotely! 

I personally love the Czech Republic and was excited to return on a month-long remote work trip to see what it’s actually like to be based here for more than a long weekend. The country is rich in central European culture, complex history, and offers so much variety in things to do despite its small size.

Beyond that, the Czech Republic is a great base for weekend exploration. You’re only a couple hours in any direction from visiting several other countries in Europe! 

Pros of Working Remotely from the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a highly rated European country for remote work, and offers SO much for those looking to switch up their surroundings. 

Some pros of working remotely from the Czech Republic include:

• Home to one of the top cities to work remotely in the world, Prague
• Lower cost of living compared to other European countries 
• EU citizens are not required to have a formal work permit to work remotely from the Czech Republic 
• English is pretty well understood, especially in the bigger cities, so learning the local language isn’t a strict requirement. Though, of course, learning commonly used phrases is always recommended
• Beautifully preserved cities and vast, natural landscapes in close proximity
• Strong cafe culture, meaning lots of cool cafes and coffee shops to work remotely from, especially in bigger cities 
• Well-maintained roads for driving from region to region, and easy, inexpensive public transportation throughout the country 
• Close proximity to neighboring countries including Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Germany by car, train, or bus 
• Potential of cheap flights throughout Europe from Prague via budget air carriers like Ryanair and EasyJet 
• The time zone is compatible for anyone working remotely from Europe, Africa, or even the Middle East. It can be a stretch for those coming from North or South America, but the time difference can be a major “pro” if you like having your days free to explore!

RELATED: How to Find a Coworking Space You’ll Love

Cons of Working Remotely from the Czech Republic

Like with any country, there are some downsides (depending on how you view them) that you need to consider.

Some cons I observed while working remotely from the Czech Republic might include:

• WiFi can vary widely from city to city. And, while internet speeds are pretty reliable in bigger cities, it’s still potentially not as fast as you might be used to if you’re coming from the US 
• Time zone adjustment could be difficult, particularly if your job is based in North America’s west coast. My work is based in Los Angeles, meaning I was 9 hours ahead while I was working remotely from the Czech Republic. While I had my days free for sightseeing and exploration, this did mean that I needed to be working from 6 pm local time to around 1 – 3 am each night. That schedule is a bit tricky if you aren’t a night owl, unfortunately 
• While the Czech Republic is typically not impacted by many natural disasters, it does have four seasons and is pretty chilly for at least 5 months each year (from November to March)
• Czech food is traditionally very heavy if you plan on eating out a lot, which can be a big diet change if you aren’t used to it. You can offset that by cooking at home or by basing yourself in a bigger city with a wider variety of Czech and international cuisines

Entry Requirements: Do You Need a Visa to Work Remotely from the Czech Republic?

Being able to work remotely from anywhere in the world is a huge opportunity. But, it can also be a legal gray area, depending on where you go and how long you’d like to stay. 

Some countries have started offering Digital Nomad Visas, which are visas catered to remote workers, digital nomads, and freelancers hoping to stay in that country for an extended period of time. The main difference in most cases between a standard tourist visa and a digital nomad visa is the length of time you’re allowed to stay in any given country. Remember this, because it’s important!

Can a US employee work remotely from the Czech Republic?

Yes!

In the case of the Czech Republic, here’s what US citizens / US employees need to know:

• US citizens can enter the Czech Republic for up to 90 days in a 180-day period without a visa. This 90/180 rule applies for the entire Schengen area of Europe
• You can work remotely during this 90 days, but you need to do so independently for an outside employer (or for self employment). Essentially, you’ll need to ensure that you are not employed by a local Czech company 
• For stays of longer than 90 days, the Czech Republic offers a freelancer visa called Zivno (Zivnostenské Opravneni), which allows you to be in the Czech Republic for up to 12 months, with the option to extend for another 24 months 
• One of the huge perks of the Zivno visa is that it allows you free movement around all 26 Schengen countries throughout that time period
• The Zivno also allows you the opportunity of taking on Czech clients, making this visa ideal for freelance marketers, consultants, social media managers, and those looking to teach English abroad 

The Zivno is notoriously known as one of the more challenging Digital Nomad Visas to acquire due to its involved application process. There are a lot of requirements, you need to apply through an embassy, and the application itself needs to be submitted in Czech.

How Much Time Should You Spend in the Czech Republic?

US-based remote workers and digital nomads can stay in the Czech Republic for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Or, up to 1-3 years with a Digital Nomad Visa (also known as the Zivno). 

Personally, I stayed in the Czech Republic for four weeks and found that it was a solid amount of time to really settle in and explore the country! 

There are so many amazing places to visit in the Czech Republic alone, a month will keep you plenty busy without needing to leave the country. But, if you want to explore neighboring countries outside of the Czech Republic too, I’d suggest basing yourself here a bit longer (30 – 90 days) to travel more without overwhelming yourself while maintaining your remote job! 

Best Places in the Czech Republic to Base Yourself for Remote Work

1. Prague

As the capital city, Prague is without a doubt the most popular – and arguably the best – place to work remotely in the Czech Republic. 

Why should you work remotely from Prague? For the beautifully preserved architecture, endless sightseeing opportunities, abundance of cafes and coworking spaces, reliable wifi, and central location near train, bus, and airport transfers.

• Cafes and coffee shops to work remotely from in Prague
  • Cafe Tone
  • Gourmet Pauza
  • Republica Coffee
  • Maze Coffee Lab
• Coworking spaces in Prague
  • WeWork
  • Impact Hub Prague
  • Opero
  • Locus Workspace
  • Node5
  • WorkLounge Diamant

2. Brno

The Czech Republic’s second-largest city, Brno is a hip, lively city to base yourself in thanks to its large university population. 

Why should you work remotely from Brno? For the young, lively crowd, the cool cafes and bars, and the smaller city center that’s easily navigable on foot. 

• Cafes and coffee shops to work remotely from in Brno
  • SKØG Urban Hub
  • Cafe Podnebi
  • Cafe Mitte
  • Podnik Cafe Bar
• Coworking spaces in Brno
  • COWO BRNO
  • Brain Farm Brno
  • Impact Hub Brno

Other Potential Places to Work Remotely in the Czech Republic

These places are equally cool but also smaller in population size, have less remote work infrastructure, and may not have as many English speakers.

• Ostrava
• Olomouc
• Cesky Krumlov
• Mikulov
• Karlovy Vary
• Pilsen

Where Did I Spend My Month Working Remotely in the Czech Republic?

During my time in the country, I largely based myself in Prague and South Moravia. But, I also took weekend trips all over the Czech Republic.

This broke down to:

• 2 weeks working in Prague 
• 1 week working remotely in Brno
• 0.5 weeks working remotely from Mikulov
• 1 day trip to Znojmo
• 1 day trip to Kutna Hora
• 1 long weekend getaway in Bohemian Switzerland 
• 1 long weekend getaway in Cesky Krumlov

What Does a Typical Day Look Like Working Remotely in the Czech Republic?

This is the fun part, and one of the reasons I LOVE working remotely abroad as much as I do. Want to spend your morning in a museum? Grab an afternoon cocktail from a bar in a neighborhood on the other side of town? Work remotely from that coffee shop you walked by yesterday? Go dancing after dark? Why the heck not! 

While you could certainly do any of these things back home, something about doing them while working remotely abroad just feels so much cooler. Doesn’t it? 

Now, my typical day working remotely from the Czech Republic will look different from yours. This is because we might have different working time zones, different interests, and different working styles. But, I find it’s helpful to paint a picture of what a typical day could look like, so you can imagine yourself here! 

My typical day working remotely in the Czech Republic (working Los Angeles hours) looked a bit like this: 

• 9 am: Wake up and check out a new coffee shop or pastry shop near my Airbnb 
• 10 am: Go sightseeing in town, or go on a fun excursion! Some of my favorites included seeing the Punkva Caves outside of Brno, touring the Chateau in Mikulov, and taking an architectural walking tour of Prague’s Old Town 
• 4 pm: Grab groceries for dinner that night, to cook in my Airbnb during my work day. If I had no upcoming meetings that day, you might find me grabbing a beer at a local pub 
• 5 pm: Back in my Airbnb, relaxing and getting ready for my work day ahead 
• 6 pm: Start of my work day (9 am back home). I try to schedule all of my most important meetings before dinner, when my mind is most alert. 
• 8 pm: Cook dinner, order delivery, or pop out to grab a bite at a nearby restaurant 
• 9 – 12 am: Answer emails, take care of any admin tasks, internal calls, or deliverables. 
• 12 – 2 am: Depending on my workload, my work day ends between 12 and 2 am. 
• 2 am: Time for sleep!  

Finding Accommodation when Working Remotely

While the country you base yourself in is a big decision, the place you stay in is as important, if not more. It’s also one of the most intimidating factors of working remotely.

Fortunately, there are tons of options to help you narrow down your decision

Types of Accommodations for Remote Workers

1. Short-Term Accommodations: Airbnb, VRBO, Nomad Rental, Anyplace, and even house sitting platforms like TrustedHousesitters can hook you up with a place that feels like a home when you’re working remotely abroad 
2. Long-Term Stay Hotels and Hostels: While I haven’t found any hotels with unique remote worker offerings in Prague just yet, it’s easy enough to stay in a local hotel or hostel for cheap, as the average room rate per night is $40 – $50 USD (for hostels, it’s even cheaper). You might not have as much space to work remotely in your room, but if you base yourself near a great cafe or coworking space, you’ll have a fun mini commute to look forward to each day! 
3. Digital Nomad Coliving Spaces: Coliving spaces are exactly what they sound like – accommodations + coworking + community for remote workers and digital nomads. They can help you offset the costs of having to pay for a coworking space, as you’ll have everything you need just a stone’s-throw away. Sadly, I haven’t heard of any in Prague or beyond just yet, but I’ll update this post once I do!

I find that Airbnbs and hotels with long-stay discounts are my typical go-to’s when looking for accommodations to base myself in for weeks or months at a time. That said, it’s been really hit or miss for me finding perfect places for remote work, no matter how much I try to research in advance.

Tips for Finding an Accommodation While Working Remotely

1. Filter: Websites like Airbnb allow you to filter for remote work amenities like WiFi and dedicated workspace. Be sure to take advantage of these filters if they exist on the platform you’re searching through! 
2. Read Reviews: Does the Airbnb, hotel, or hostel have any reviews that mention WiFi? Are those reviews positive? Are they outdated? 
3. Reach Out: Don’t be afraid to message the accommodation to ask for their average WiFi up/down speeds. To be certain, you can even send them a link to your preferred speed tester and ask for a screenshot.
4. Review the Cancellation Policy: Can you change or cancel your reservation if needed? What are the penalties? What’s the process involved? 
5. Map Out the Area: What coffee shops, cafes, coworking spaces, or libraries are nearby? What are their hours?

Other FAQs for Working Remotely from the Czech Republic

What is the Best Time to Travel to the Czech Republic?

Summer is always going to be a popular choice for most European destinations, this one included. But, if you’re looking to save some money, spring and fall tend to be more affordable options. 

I spent my month in the Czech Republic in the late fall / early winter. It was cold, sure, but I also got to see the country transform into a wintery, Christmas-filled wonderland! One thing to keep in mind is that in the winter, some attractions might be closed for the season. Check ahead to make sure the things you want to do are possible during your timeframe! 

How Safe is the Czech Republic?

The Czech Republic is a very safe country in Europe, and generally poses low risks of pickpocketing, mugging, or scamming. Transportation is easy, people are amiable and helpful, and even when exploring solo, I felt incredibly safe at all times.

That said, I always recommend exercising the same precautions you would when traveling anywhere, and keep your guard up, especially in crowded places!

What is the WiFi Like?

Average WiFi speeds in the Czech Republic are estimated to be 40 MBPS download and 10-20 MBPS upload, with a latency of 25 MS.

Further, the cities of Prague, Brno, Pilsen, and Ostrava are covered with high-speed networks, making them some of the best cities to work remotely from.

In reality, I found that public WiFi speeds – particularly in Prague – tended to hover between 12 – 30 MBPS down, and 2 – 26 up. For me, it was enough for zoom calls and uploading large files to shared folders about 80% of the time.

While the Czech Republic doesn’t have the fastest WiFi speeds I’ve ever encountered while working remotely abroad, it does have some of the most reliable and easy to find, particularly in cafes, coffee shops, and even more random places like laundromats. In fact, one of the fastest WiFi speeds I found in Prague was while I was doing laundry!

Do I Need an Adapter or Voltage Converter?

The Czech Republic uses plug types C and E (the plugs with two round pins). The country also operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.

I did not need a voltage converter while I was working remotely from the Czech Republic, but I’m linking both of my preferred essentials below in case you need to pick one up for your trip.

• World Travel Adapter Kit by Ceptics
• International Power Converter / Travel Adapter by SOKOO

How Much Should I Budget for a Month in the Czech Republic?

Most sources online will say between $1500 and $2000 should do to cover your accommodation, food, transportation, and other expenses throughout a month in the Czech Republic. I think that’s fair, especially if you’re just traveling around the Czech Republic vs. working remotely in it.

However, in my personal experience, I’ve tended to spend a bit more on accommodations to give me a better chance of having conveniences like strong wifi, a good workspace, and a good location.

Because of this, I’d say between $2000 and up to $3000 per month is a more fair buffer in case you need to spend extra money to do your work comfortably – whether that’s on your accommodation, your coffees at coffee shops, or your coworking fees.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

Whether or not you need travel insurance is your own personal choice, but keep in mind that without insurance, any incidents (stolen gear, hospitalization, etc) will need to be covered out of pocket while abroad.

I used to travel without insurance all the time, but for longer trips – especially ones where I’m bringing my work equipment and cameras with me – I’ve started buying insurance and while I haven’t had to use it (yet), it’s given me more peace of mind.

Some reputable travel insurance companies with good reviews include:

• World Nomads
• SafetyWing
• Allianz Travel Insurance

Planning on working remotely from the Czech Republic in the near future? Are there any questions you have that this guide didn’t cover? Let me know in the comments below!

Read This Next:

• How to Find a Coworking Space You’ll Love
• 9 Tips for Working While Traveling and Staying Productive
• 18 Careers That Allow You to Work Remote
• What I Learned From Traveling One Month in Southeast Asia While Working Full Time
• Essential Remote Work Tools for Successful Work Anywhere
• How to Find a Remote Job: Everything You Need to Know

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