Prague has added nearly 150,000 residents in the past five years, yet apartment construction is far behind this pace.

The capital’s living conditions, high salaries, and abundant career opportunities continue to attract newcomers, fueling an unprecedented demand for housing.

Last year alone, Prague’s population grew by 9,204 people, according to the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO). Over the same five-year period, only 26,636 new apartments were completed.

This means that for every newly built apartment, more than five new residents are competing for housing. The imbalance is creating a sharply worsening housing shortage.

Migration is the main driver of this growth. In 2025, 57,432 people moved into Prague, while 47,046 left. Natural population changes due to births and deaths account for the remaining increase, resulting in a net gain of 9,204 residents for the year.

Prague’s appeal is clear. It ranks among the wealthiest regions in the EU, with low crime rates, extensive public transport, accessible healthcare, and rich cultural and sports offerings. Its economic and social advantages are unlikely to diminish, ensuring that population growth will continue.

Updated projections by the Institute for Planning and Development (IPR) estimate that Prague could gain another 300,000 residents by 2050. Even this “realistic scenario,” as described by the IPR, would equate to moving the entire city of Ostrava into the capital. While the IPR highlights the strain on infrastructure, it gives less attention to the critical shortage of housing.

The core question is whether these residents will have anywhere to live. Housing construction has not kept pace with demographic growth. Over the past five years, new apartments in Prague did not even match the natural population increase.

Looking ahead, Prague must prepare for continued population growth by identifying sufficient areas for large-scale housing development. Both new arrivals and young residents seeking their first home will need access to housing.

Today, Prague ranks lowest in homeownership availability among Czech regions and is among the worst in the EU.

The city’s slow and complicated permitting process, combined with an outdated zoning plan, has prevented the construction of the apartments most needed.

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