Czechs Spent Average CZK 178 on Lunches in January

Czechs spent an average of CZK 178 for lunch in a restaurant in January, 20 cents more than in December.

The price growth has slowed down significantly, according to the latest survey by Edenred. Year-on-year, lunches are 16 percent more expensive.

The most expensive city is still Prague, where a lunch meal costs about CZK 201. On the other hand, residents of Jihlava paid the least, around CZK 161.

Lunch prices rose the most month-on-month in Liberec, Ostrava and Jihlava, by about 1 crown. The smallest increase was expected in České Budějovice and Brno, where lunches were about ten cents more expensive than in December, according to Edenred.

92 percent of the people interviewed, preferred restaurant lunches over delivery services in January, the most since August 2020.

The value of the tax-advantaged meal voucher rose by CZK 15 to CZK 195 at the beginning of this January due to inflation.

Under the Income Tax Act, companies can deduct a maximum of 55 per cent of the value of a meal voucher, with the remainder usually paid by employees.

According to Edenred, prices in public catering rose by 27 percent year-on-year last November.