Studying in a country that actively advertises beer cheaper than water, I asked myself: is it affordable for students to go out drinking in Prague?
Czech inflation is nothing new for students who have observed the price of rent, groceries, and outings skyrocket. Over the last year, the price of a pint of twelve-degree beer rose from 58.8 CZK to 64.3 CZK, more than a nine percent increase.
The rising cost has less to do with beer becoming more expensive and more to do with the costs of running a business in a country going through rapid inflation in key categories such as gas, energy, and staff salaries.
“For beer, the breweries would increase by one crown for half a litre, but the bars are raising the prices by five or ten crowns because of the increase of the costs of energy and gas,” said Jana Koubava, the owner of Duende.
How are students managing?
A study done of AAU students revealed that 50% of students thought it was as affordable as they expected to go out in Prague with beer advertised as cheaper than water, and the other 50% disagreed.
The study also revealed that 83.3% of the respondents noticed a significant increase in the price of alcohol since the beginning of their studies, with 50% of respondents admitting that even beer is more expensive.
Although 50% of students answered that the entrance fees of clubs were preventing them from going out as much, only 33.3% said the same about the general drink price increase.
What are some affordable places to visit?
Bar No. 7 in Nové Město, Popocafepetl with three locations around Prague 1, Cafe80s in Staré Město, and small pubs were the most popular answers. Try to find cafés, pubs, or bars with cheap shots, free entry, or Erasmus discounts to keep your bill low.
Make sure to pregame! Pregaming can be a fun, affordable way to stick to a limit. Alcohol can be a lot cheaper in stores. It gives you a fun time to get ready with friends, and it removes that weird, awkward start of the night when arriving at a club stone-cold sober.
The most difficult but useful piece of advice? Set a budget and stick to it; whether that means only bringing a certain amount of cash or having some willpower while out, it is possible to go out for cheap in Prague.
