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Living in Ostrava

In Ostrava, unemployment is 8.5% (2021).

Ostrava is a city in Czechia. Ostrava had a population of 283,187 in 2025. The city covered 214.2 km² in 2025. Population density was 1,321.9 people per km² in 2025. A monthly estimate placed internet service at €15.61 in August 2026. A monthly estimate placed basic utilities for an 85 m² home at €207.46 in August 2026. An estimate placed an inexpensive restaurant meal at €9.50 in August 2026.

Last checked 2026-09-1637 sources

Population283,187people1 Jan 2025Official source · Population of municipalities — 1 January 2025
Median gross salary (region)1,744EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · ČSÚ — Gross monthly earnings by region, 2025
Average net rent4.83EUR/m²/monthcountry median €8.58 — 44% belowOfficial source · Eurostat
Unemployment rate8.5%country median 4.1% — 107% aboveOfficial source · CZ official material for unemployment_total_percent
PM2.5, annual mean16.25µg/m³31 Dec 2024Official source · EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data

Cheaper rent than any other Czech city that publishes it and higher unemployment than 96% of Czech cities that publish it.

Which Czechia-wide rules apply when you move to Ostrava?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Housing and cost

The housing-vacancy rate was 7.7% in March 2021.

How much does it cost to rent in Ostrava?

Average net cold rent is 4.83 EUR/m² per month (2017), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

  • Average net rent (nettokalt): 4.83 EUR/m²/month · Eurostat16
What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month
Ostrava recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Private kindergarten€379
Utilities, 85 m² flat€207
Fitness club€50
Transport pass€23
Mobile plan, 10 GB€21
Internet, 60 Mbps€16

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Net rent across major citiesOstrava highlighted among comparable cities
Net rent across major cities with Ostrava highlighted

net rent, € / m² / month

Jesenice€13.53
Čelákovice€12.51
Milovice€10.98
Studénka€8.97
Plzeň€5.92
Ostrava€4.83
Show the other 6 cities
Klášterec nad Ohří€8.39
Prague€8.25
Krupka€8.10
Brno€7.50
Jirkov€7.49
Chodov€7.45
MetricValuePeriodSource
Fitness club membership, monthly49.51 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Col Groceries Index Basket Eur Month63.67 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited15.61 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly378.7 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant9.5 eur3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB20.94 EUR/month31 Jul 2026Cost of Living in Ostrava. Jul 2026. Prices in Ostrava36Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass22.72 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home207.5 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Dwellings145,795 dwellings31 Dec 2021Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ)10Official
Housing Vacancy Rate Percent7.7 %26 Mar 2021CZ official material for unemployment_total_percent9Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)4.83 EUR/m²/monthcountry median €8.5831 Dec 2017Eurostat16Official

Is Ostrava a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker60%strong on work, weak on safety · range 51–69%
Skilled employee62%strong on work, weak on safety · range 54–70%
Student55%strong on cost, weak on safety · range 47–63%
Family49%strong on family, weak on safety · range 40–58%
Retirement55%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 45–65%

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 290 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 4.83 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2017

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 8.5% in March 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Ostrava?

The unemployment rate is 8.5 % (March 2021). Source: CZ official material for unemployment_total_percent9

Unemployment across cities in CzechiaUnemployment in Ostrava is 8.5%. Of 279 cities with data, 72 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public employment offices1 count15 Sept 2026Úřad práce ČR — Ostrava (centrum)26Official
People in employment133,983 people31 Dec 2021Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ)11Official
Median gross salary (regional)1,744 EUR/month31 Dec 2025ČSÚ — Gross monthly earnings by region, 20251Official · regional context
Unemployment rate8.5 %country median 4.1%26 Mar 2021CZ official material for unemployment_total_percent9Official
Unemployment rate over time7 published observations, 1993–2024

Unemployment rate fell 7.1% between 1993 and 2024, from 6.5% to 6.1%.

What does a salary buy in Ostrava?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €1,744 (ČSÚ, 2025-12-31).
Left over each month€827of €1,383 take-home
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Transport
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08.€1,383
Rent, 60 m²€4.83/m² · official · Eurostat · 2017-12-31− €290
Public transport pass€23 · market price · Numbeo · 2026-08-03− €23
Utilities, 85 m²€207 · market price · Numbeo · 2026-08-03− €207
Internet€16 · market price · Numbeo · 2026-08-03− €16
Mobile plan€21 · market price · Cost of Living in Ostrava. Jul 2026. Prices in Ostrava · 2026-07-31− €21
Left over€827
Take-home pay for other salaries and households

Public employment offices in Ostrava

Úřad práce ČR lists 1 public employment office in Ostrava (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.

Office count verified

Labour Office of the Czech Republic — Public employment service

Úřad práce České republiky

Job SearchRegistration

The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.

Family and education

Students accounted for 7.24% of the population in 2017. A monthly estimate placed private kindergarten fees at €378.69 in August 2026.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Public language course providers1 count31 Aug 2026Official public language-service provider/location register22Official

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 6 to 15. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: Free Czech-language courses for foreigners (NPI cizinci.npi.cz portal + school adaptation support). How to enrol a child (msmt.gov.cz).

A country-wide rule for Czechia; Ostrava's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Healthcare

MetricValuePeriodSource
Pharmacies76 count27 Aug 2026Seznam lékáren — SÚKL open data25Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Ostrava when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Mobility and administration

Car density was 378.5 vehicles per 1,000 residents in 2011. An estimate placed a monthly public-transport pass at €22.72 in August 2026.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Nearest airportZBE3 Aug 2026OurAirports23Official
Distance to nearest airport18 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports23Official
Public transport monthly pass22.72 EUR/month3 Aug 2026Numbeo36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context

Language courses and integration in Ostrava

1 exact course-location record is linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally
1verified local records
1publicly funded course provider

Centre for Support of Integration of Foreigners — CPIC Ostrava

Českobratrská 2227/7, Ostrava, 702 00

View official record
Exact city-linked record checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Find courses near Ostrava

Climate and air quality

Annual PM2.5 was 16.3 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Annual NO₂ was 21.7 µg/m³ in 2013.

Is the air quality good in Ostrava?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 16.3 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

  • PM2.5 — annual mean: 16.25 µg/m³ · EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data15
Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

MetricValuePeriodSource
NO₂ — annual mean21.7 µg/m³2013CZ official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m34Official
PM2.5 — annual mean16.25 µg/m³31 Dec 2024EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data15Official
Average daytime high by monthJan 1.7 · Feb 3.8 · Mar 8.5 · Apr 15.1 · May 19.6 · Jun 23.2 · Jul 25.4 · Aug 25.3 · Sep 19.7 · Oct 14 · Nov 8.1 · Dec 2.8 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV27Official
Average night-time low by monthJan -3.7 · Feb -3 · Mar -0.2 · Apr 3.8 · May 8.2 · Jun 12.2 · Jul 13.9 · Aug 13.5 · Sep 9.4 · Oct 5.6 · Nov 2 · Dec -2.1 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV27Official
Average temperature by monthJan -0.6 · Feb 0.7 · Mar 4.3 · Apr 9.7 · May 14.2 · Jun 18.1 · Jul 19.9 · Aug 19.4 · Sep 14.4 · Oct 9.6 · Nov 5.1 · Dec 0.6 °C1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV27Official
Average precipitation by monthJan 26.2 · Feb 25.9 · Mar 33.9 · Apr 44.1 · May 83.9 · Jun 96 · Jul 96.7 · Aug 69.2 · Sep 74.2 · Oct 51.7 · Nov 39.7 · Dec 31.5 mm1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV27Official
Average sunshine by monthJan 51.2 · Feb 71.3 · Mar 121.6 · Apr 183 · May 213.3 · Jun 224.4 · Jul 242 · Aug 237.5 · Sep 160.6 · Oct 111.5 · Nov 60.5 · Dec 45.5 hours1991–2020WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV27Official

Population and city profile

How many people live in Ostrava?

The published population was 283,187 people in 2025. Source: Population of municipalities — 1 January 202524

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Cars per 1,000 residents378.5 cars/1000 residents2011CZ official material for car_density_per_10005Official
City area214.2 km²1 Jan 2025CZ official material for city_area_km26Official
Foreign-resident share3.4 %26 Mar 2021CZ official material for foreign_population_share_percent7Official
Foreign residents9,476 people26 Mar 2021CZ official material for foreign_population_share_percent7Official
Population density1,322 people/km²1 Jan 2025CZ official material for city_area_km26Official
Population Female144,875 people31 Dec 2021Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ)12Official
Population Male137,575 people31 Dec 2021Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ)12Official
Population283,187 people1 Jan 2025Population of municipalities — 1 January 202524Official
Students as a share of residents7.24 %2017CZ official material for student_population_share_percent8Official
Population over time33 published observations, 1990–2025

Population fell 15.2% between 1990 and 2025, from 331,219 to 280,853.

International community in Ostrava

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Citizenship

Population with usual residence; Census 2021; source indicator: Počet obyvatel s obvyklým pobytem · 2021 Census (2021-03-26)

Published groupPeopleShare
Slovakia2,6560.9%
Vietnam1,8070.6%
Ukraine9920.4%
South Korea4330.2%
Poland4180.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source14

Ancestry or ethnicity

Population with usual residence; Census 2021; source indicator: Počet obyvatel s obvyklým pobytem · 2021 Census (2021-03-26)

Published groupPeopleShare
Moravians13,1944.7%
Slovaks6,3002.2%
Silesians3,1731.1%
Roma1,4730.5%
Vietnamese1,2860.5%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source13

Additional context

MetricValuePeriodSource
Labour Supply Count146,424 people31 Dec 2021Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ)11Official

Alternatives for people set on Ostrava

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Plzeň as a Ostrava alternative in the same country

A move, not a commute, at 353 km, better on 5 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1.

  • Foreign residents: 10.7% Plzeň vs 3.4% Ostrava+215%
  • Unemployment: 4.2% Plzeň vs 8.5% Ostrava−51%
  • Rent: €5.92/m² Plzeň vs €4.83/m² Ostrava+23%
  • Empty flats: 11.7% Plzeň vs 7.7% Ostrava+52%
  • Annual PM2.5: 11.0 µg/m³ Plzeň vs 16.3 µg/m³ Ostrava−32%
  • Residents: 187,928 Plzeň vs 283,187 Ostrava−34%
  • Median gross pay, region: €1,833 Plzeň vs €1,744 Ostrava+5%

Amsterdam as a Ostrava alternative in another country

A move, not a commute, at 976 km, better on 1 of 2 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent and foreign residents cannot be compared like for like.

  • Transport pass: €100 Amsterdam vs €23 Ostrava+340%
  • Rent: €37.27/m² (2025) Amsterdam vs €4.83/m² (2017) Ostravano percentage
  • Annual PM2.5: 9.0 µg/m³ Amsterdam vs 16.3 µg/m³ Ostrava−45%
  • Foreign residents: 60.2% (2025) Amsterdam vs 3.4% (2021) Ostravano percentage

Cities near Ostrava

Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.

Rychvald Satellite · 6.9 km away
Rent
6.79 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-12-31
Petřvald Satellite · 7.0 km away
Rent
6.75 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-12-31
Vratimov Satellite · 7.4 km away
Rent
8.02 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-12-31
Šenov Satellite · 7.6 km away
Rent
5.31 EUR/m²/monthAverage net rent (nettokalt) · 2026-12-31

Alternative cities in Czechia

Other cities in Czechia to compare with Ostrava, nearest in population first.

All Czechia cities

How does Ostrava compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Ostrava's.

Ostrava in rankings

Which comparable places record less crime than Ostrava?

122 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Ostrava in this strictly source-matched cohort.

Ostrava: 2,477.5 published selected criminal delicts/100k residents (2024).

Only the same source family, offence definition, period, grain and denominator method are compared. This is recorded crime, not a claim about personal safety. Official source17

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Ostrava?

The published population was 283,187 people in 2025. Source: Population of municipalities — 1 January 2025.

How much does it cost to rent in Ostrava?

Average net cold rent is 4.83 EUR/m² per month (2017), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 338 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Eurostat.

Is the air quality good in Ostrava?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 16.3 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data.

What is the unemployment rate in Ostrava?

The unemployment rate is 8.5 % (March 2021). Source: CZ official material for unemployment_total_percent.

What is the typical salary around Ostrava?

The median gross salary is 1,744 EUR/month. Source: ČSÚ — Gross monthly earnings by region, 2025.

How many foreign residents live in Ostrava?

9,476 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: CZ official material for foreign_population_share_percent.

Is Ostrava a good place to live?

Ostrava may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which cities are near Ostrava?

Rychvald, Petřvald, Vratimov, Šenov, Bohumín are near Ostrava. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.

How many people are in the Slovakia citizenship group in Ostrava?

The official citizenship distribution records 2,656 people (0.9%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census (2021-03-26). This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Which comparable places record less crime than Ostrava?

122 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Ostrava in this strictly source-matched cohort. The comparison uses Policie ČR Mapy kriminality municipal 2024 + CZSO population municipalities 1 January 2024, period 2024, and does not compare across incompatible police definitions.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 19). Ostrava, Czechia: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version ed00e7978a9f234d2e0d036c80cbe7a3]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/cz/ostrava/ Retrieved 2026-09-19. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_ostrava-czechia-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_b99a5962842d,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Ostrava, Czechia: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-19},
  version = {ed00e7978a9f234d2e0d036c80cbe7a3},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/cz/ostrava/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-19. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Ostrava, Czechia: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/cz/ostrava/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version ed00e7978a9f234d2e0d036c80cbe7a3; retrieved 2026-09-19; built 2026-09-19.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. ČSÚ — Gross monthly earnings by region, 2025 ČSÚ · csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-07-29
  2. csu.gov.cz recorded crime data csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-28
  3. csu.gov.cz recorded crime data csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-28
  4. CZ official material for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m3 ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  5. CZ official material for car_density_per_1000 ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  6. CZ official material for city_area_km2 csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-07-18
  7. CZ official material for foreign_population_share_percent csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-07-18
  8. CZ official material for student_population_share_percent ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-18
  9. CZ official material for unemployment_total_percent csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-07-18
  10. Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-07
Show 27 more sources
  1. Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-07
  2. Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-07
  3. Czech Statistical Office (CZSO) ancestry_or_ethnicity distribution csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-28
  4. Czech Statistical Office (CZSO) citizenship distribution csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-28
  5. EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-26
  6. Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-27
  7. kriminalita.policie.gov.cz recorded crime data kriminalita.policie.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-28
  8. kriminalita.policie.gov.cz recorded crime data kriminalita.policie.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-28
  9. kriminalita.policie.gov.cz recorded crime data kriminalita.policie.gov.cz · checked 2026-08-28
  10. Ministerstvo financí ČR — Cenová mapa nájemního bydlení (kalkulačka tržního nájemného) Ministerstvo financí ČR · mfcr.cz · checked 2026-09-18
  11. oecd.org place coordinates oecd.org · checked 2026-08-28
  12. Official public language-service provider/location register integracnicentra.cz · checked 2026-09-15
  13. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  14. Population of municipalities — 1 January 2025 Population of municipalities · csu.gov.cz · checked 2026-09-01
  15. Seznam lékáren — SÚKL open data Seznam lékáren · opendata.sukl.cz · checked 2026-09-15
  16. Úřad práce ČR — Ostrava (centrum) Úřad práce ČR · uradprace.cz · checked 2026-09-15
  17. WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-29
  18. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  19. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  20. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  21. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  22. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  23. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  24. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  25. Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
  26. Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
  27. Wikidata identity and coordinates — Q8385 Wikidata identity and coordinates · wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-05

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.