The Czech Republic: Draft beer prices rising in Prague due to large jump in VAT

Prices for draft beer in the Czech capital are rising due to a large jump in the value-added tax (VAT) on it – from 10 to 21 percent – that came into force this year. According to data from Dotykačka, a company that analyzes cash register data, the average price for a pint of 12-degree beer in Prague is now more than CZK 70, Expats.cz reported on January 5.

Analysis from Dotykačka shows that a pint of draft beer in Prague restaurants was CZK 64.3 on average last July. In 2022, it was around CZK 59 and in 2021 the average stood at CZK 52. Today, the average hovers around CZK 73.

Now, Prague restaurants have raised their prices by an average of CZK 3 to CZK 4 per pint due to the VAT change, as well as the rising costs of operating breweries. Some establishments, such as one on Národní trida, have even increased their prices by as much as CZK 8. Other large chains in Prague opted to pre-emptively raise prices in November or December 2023.

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