Moving to a new country is overwhelming. The paperwork, the language barrier, finding housing, understanding taxes—there's a lot to figure out. When I moved to Prague years ago, I spent weeks digging through government websites, expat forums, and scattered blog posts to piece together what I needed to know. I wished there was one place that had everything organized and explained clearly.

So I built All About Prague — a comprehensive guide website for anyone moving to or living in Prague, Czech Republic.

The Problem

When you're preparing to move abroad, you need answers to specific questions:

• What visa do I need and how long does processing take?
• How much will rent cost in different neighborhoods?
• What's my net salary after Czech taxes?
• Do I need health insurance immediately?
• How do I find a trustworthy real estate agent?

The information exists, but it's fragmented across government portals, Facebook groups, outdated blog posts, and Reddit threads. Official sources are often in Czech only. Unofficial sources contradict each other. And when you're making life decisions, you need reliable, up-to-date information.

The Solution

I wanted to build something that would have helped me when I moved: a single, comprehensive resource that covers everything from visa applications to daily life, written in clear English, kept current, and enhanced with interactive tools that actually save time.

All About Prague is that resource. It's a modern web application with:

• Comprehensive guides covering visas, housing, jobs, banking, health insurance, and more
• Interactive tools like cost calculators, salary calculators, and visa timeline estimators
• Step-by-step walkthroughs for complex processes like residency applications
• Practical resources like emergency contacts and essential Czech phrases

What It Includes

The site covers the full journey of moving to Prague:

Getting Started

• Moving to Prague — a complete arrival checklist
• Finding a job — job search tips, work permits, salary expectations
• Starting a business — trade licenses and entrepreneurship

Legal & Documents

• Residency permits overview — comparing all visa types
• Employee Card and EU Blue Card for workers
• Long-term visas and residence permits
• Family reunification processes
• Path to permanent residence

Housing & Living

• Finding an apartment — navigating the Prague rental market
• Transportation — public transit, bikes, and getting around
• Banking — opening accounts as a foreigner
• Health insurance — mandatory coverage explained

Practical Tools

• Cost of Living Calculator — estimate monthly expenses based on lifestyle
• Salary Calculator — net salary from gross with Czech taxes
• Visa Timeline Calculator — realistic processing time estimates
• Neighborhood Finder — match neighborhoods to your preferences
• Document Checklist Generator — personalized lists based on visa type
• Currency Converter — real-time CZK conversions

Technical Implementation

The site is built as a modern React application:

Design Philosophy

I focused on readability and usability:

• Clean, spacious layouts with clear typography
• Interactive checklists you can actually use while preparing
• Related content links that connect related topics
• Mobile-first — works great on phones for quick reference
• Fast loading — optimized images and code-splitting

Content Strategy

Each guide is structured to be actionable:

1. Overview — what this topic covers and why it matters
2. Requirements — what you need before starting
3. Process — step-by-step instructions
4. Timeline — realistic expectations
5. Costs — what to budget for
6. Common pitfalls — mistakes to avoid
7. Related guides — what to read next

Real-World Impact

The site has already helped hundreds of people navigate their move to Prague. Based on feedback:

• The visa guides are the most visited pages — people appreciate having all requirements in one place
• The salary calculator is heavily used for job offer evaluations
• The neighborhood finder helps people narrow down where to live before they arrive
• Many users mention the checklists are what they actually use during their preparation

Why This Approach

I considered several ways to build this:

• A static site (like this blog): Fast and simple, but limited interactivity for tools
• A CMS-driven site (WordPress, etc.): Easy content management, but slower and bloated
• A custom React app: Full control over UX, fast interactions, can build real tools

I chose the React app approach because the interactive tools (calculators, checklists, neighborhood matcher) require JavaScript anyway. Might as well build the whole experience as a cohesive application.

Future Plans

The project is actively maintained with plans for:

1. More visa types — expanded coverage for specific situations
2. User accounts — save your progress through checklists
3. PDF exports — download guides for offline reading
4. Community features — reviews of agencies and services
5. Multilingual support — adding Czech and other languages

Try It

If you're moving to Prague, already living here, or just curious, check it out:

🔗 allaboutprague.com

No account needed. Everything is free and designed to actually help.

The project is open source on GitHub — contributions and feedback are welcome. If you spot outdated information or have suggestions for new content, open an issue or pull request.

Conclusion

Moving abroad is one of life's biggest transitions. Having accurate, organized information makes it significantly less stressful. All About Prague is my attempt to pay it forward — to create the resource I wish existed when I made my move.

If you know someone planning a move to Prague, send them the link. And if you find it useful, star the repository or share it with others who might need it.

This project was built over several months of evenings and weekends. The goal was never perfection, but usefulness — and I hope it helps make your Prague move a little smoother.