Thread: Anyone from/visited Czech Republic? Considering moving there... Opinions/Advice?

I'm considering changing my country of residence and I've done a lot of research and so far, the Czech Republic is very high on my list of considerations.
It meets almost all of my major priorites/needs on paper... but I'd like to hear opinions from people who have lived there, or visited for extended periods of time. Good or bad, or just random thoughts... tell me what you think of it.

And just a little background to understand my perspective. I am self-employed and work entirely online so I can work from anywhere that has an internet connection so worrying about work-visa is not really an issue. Currently I am a Canadian citizen, but a US resident. I am single, 31yo, healthy, with absolutely no desire for wife/marriage/kids. I enjoy a bachelor lifestyle and traveling. I will live there most of the year, but probably travel to a tropical destination for the 2-3 colder winter months.

One of my best friends is Czech. In fact he just got back a few days ago after a month over there.

He's a member here but doesn't stop by much, I'll let him know of this post and he'll tell you everything you want to know!

Thanks for the link JBrown.

One of the main things you need to consider is the language barrier. Most people speak some english but not very well. Czech is an exceptionally difficult language to learn. I have not had a chance to visit Prague but keep in mind it is more expensive than some of the smaller cities.

As with any place Czech has it's up's and downs. The women are beautiful, the beer is fantastic, and in comparison to the US/Canada your living expenses will be less and you are sure to get more. However know that there are no free refills, you have to pay for extra ketchup, and the healthcare is a joke. Also there are no tips in Czech, and if someone does leave something it is usually very little. As a result the service at certain places is not what you would expect. Just leave 20% and the next time you come back they will surely greet you with a smile!

Much like you I can work from anywhere there is an internet connection, and if you make dollars over there then you will definitely have a good time! Once (if) they switch to the Euro things will get a lot more expensive, so I say take advantage of it while you can. Also be sure to put Plovdiv, Bulgaria on your list of places to visit. It's cheaper than CZ, and has just about the same advantages for someone in your situation. Enjoy Europe and hop around different cities, don't get stuck in one place for 9 months. There are no rental agreements or long term contracts, so you can rent fully furnished places month to month!

I've lived in both Czech and Slovakia, and speak both languages so just shoot me a PM if you have any more questions!

Thank you very much Stacho, great info! And thanks JBrown for sending him here.

A close friend of mine is also from Slovakia but living here in Florida now. She is the one that got me started thinking about Prague because it is her favorite city that she has spent time in, and she has been to most of Europe. Some of the things that appeal to me is that Czech is majority non-religious, relative freedom similar to the US, fast internet, low flat taxes, stable power grid, and firearms are legal for foreign born residents. And of course beautiful women

As for bad service and bad healthcare, those do not worry me because I already feel the same things in America, so it won't be much difference, haha. I am a good tipper at places I regularly visit, so I find that good service comes after repeated visits. Healthcare in America has never impressed me either, so I doubt I'll be missing much. I will retain my Canadian citizenship in case I ever have major issues I can always fly home.

I read about the possible switch to euro, that is why I would like to go ASAP and at least get to experience it for a year or two before it changes. I am ok with moving again if the prices go up. I enjoy going to new places every 2-3 years anyway.

Great tip on the no long term contracts. That is very different than US. I might choose a few possible cities and spend 1 month in each before deciding where to stay for longer.

I will do some research on Bulgaria per your recommendation. I am open to all options!

You should contact Turbology! He is Czech and has family and many resources over there... knows the country well. He is an honest guy and will give you all the answers you seek.

Many IT blue-chips have a majority of their "cloud-based" staff in the eastern part of europe due to the taxes which are much lower than average taxes in the €uro-zone plus countries like CZ or SL are more european than they are eastern european. Nevertheless having some extra money in your pocket never led to a disadvantage

Concerning your doubts regarding healthcare etc... Since your living costs are much more affordable than in the rest of €-Land it shouldn't be a problem to be privately insured or pay for healthcare treatment "on demand". What you definitely should take into your consideration is that if that thing with the relgions is important to you (and being non-religious is the better deal for you) you should choose CZ - even wikipedia states that the population of CZ is "one of the least religious populations on earth and is even indifferent towards religions" - which is NOT the case for Bulgaria!

Originally Posted by 6.3 ///AMG

What you definitely should take into your consideration is that if that thing with the relgions is important to you (and being non-religious is the better deal for you) you should choose CZ - even wikipedia states that the population of CZ is "one of the least religious populations on earth and is even indifferent towards religions" - which is NOT the case for Bulgaria!

Yes this is definitely a positive feature of CZ for me. America has a lot of good aspects, but the overwhelming religious influences that filter down into everything is very irritating to me.

I found these numbers on wikipedia

Czech religiosity (2011)

Undeclared 45.2%
Unreligious (Agnostic) 34.2%
Roman Catholicism 10.3%
Others 9.4%
Protestantism 0.8%

Zdravím tě,
jestli mluvíš alespoň trochu českým jazykem, tak ti můžu o České republice hodně povídat. Žiju tady od narození. Jestli česky nemluvíš, tak to bude problém, jelikož moje angličtina je dost mizerná. Zároveň bych se ale rád naučil anglický jazky, takže se třeba nějak domluvíme a oba se naučíme novej jazyk. Kdyžtak se ozvy.

Pro překlad použij Google (Use google to translate)

P

Originally Posted by John112-cz

Zdravím tě,
jestli mluvíš alespoň trochu českým jazykem, tak ti můžu o České republice hodně povídat. Žiju tady od narození. Jestli česky nemluvíš, tak to bude problém, jelikož moje angličtina je dost mizerná. Zároveň bych se ale rád naučil anglický jazky, takže se třeba nějak domluvíme a oba se naučíme novej jazyk. Kdyžtak se ozvy.

Pro překlad použij Google (Use google to translate)

P

Děkuji za odpověď.
Jsem, že český jazyk je velmi těžké se naučit, ale budu se snažit naučit některé předtím, než jsem cestovat.

od Google Translate

Originally Posted by TheRoadWarrior

Yes this is definitely a positive feature of CZ for me. America has a lot of good aspects, but the overwhelming religious influences that filter down into everything is very irritating to me.

I found these numbers on wikipedia

Czech religiosity (2011)

Undeclared 45.2%
Unreligious (Agnostic) 34.2%
Roman Catholicism 10.3%
Others 9.4%
Protestantism 0.8%

Sorry for interrupting your thread, Dude.
But you moving to another country just because you dislike the religion of your country? WTF?
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if i was you, i would prefer the Switzerland.