Karlovy Vary or Plzeň?
Karlovy Vary and Plzeň side by side in the 39 town rankings both are in. Each ranking shows the figure and the place the town holds.
Where each town comes out ahead
Karlovy Vary comes out ahead in 18 of 39 rankings, Plzeň in 20.
Same place: 1.
Housing costs
Karlovy Vary 5 : 3 Plzeň
Where living is cheapest: rent, water and heating a month
Karlovy Vary
CZK 14,460 a month
· 53 of 119
Plzeň
CZK 16,069 a month
· 91 of 119
Cheapest rent in the Czech towns over 10,000 residents
Karlovy Vary
CZK 207/m²
· 48 of 132
Plzeň
CZK 249/m²
· 105 of 132
Cheapest flats to buy: towns over 10,000 residents
Karlovy Vary
41,814 CZK/m²
· 31 of 132
Plzeň
61,919 CZK/m²
· 121 of 132
Buy or rent? How many years of rent a flat costs in towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
16.8 years of rent
· 40 of 132
Plzeň
20.7 years of rent
· 120 of 132
Where water is cheapest: water and sewage charges in towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
112.85 CZK/m³
· 28 of 119
Plzeň
113.31 CZK/m³
· 29 of 119
Where water got the least dearer: water and sewage 2025 against 2024
Karlovy Vary
+2.6 %
· 34 of 119
Plzeň
+2.3 %
· 32 of 119
Where heating is cheapest: district heating in towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
1,233 CZK/GJ
· 98 of 108
Plzeň
881 CZK/GJ
· 14 of 108
Where heating got the least dearer: 2026 heat prices against 2024
Karlovy Vary
+35.5 %
· 104 of 105
Plzeň
+7.0 %
· 73 of 105
Schools and doctors
Karlovy Vary 4 : 1 Plzeň
Most kindergartens per resident: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
1.4 per 10,000 residents
· 110 of 129
Plzeň
3.1 per 10,000 residents
· 71 of 129
Most primary schools per resident: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
3.5 per 10,000 residents
· 55 of 129
Plzeň
2.5 per 10,000 residents
· 117 of 129
Most GPs per resident: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
6.7 per 10,000 residents
· 64 of 129
Plzeň
5.2 per 10,000 residents
· 106 of 129
Most dentists per resident: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
9.8 per 10,000 residents
· 19 of 129
Plzeň
8.5 per 10,000 residents
· 36 of 129
Most paediatricians per resident: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
2.4 per 10,000 residents
· 64 of 129
Plzeň
1.8 per 10,000 residents
· 95 of 129
Free time
Karlovy Vary 1 : 3 Plzeň
Most playgrounds per resident: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
14.1 per 10,000 residents
· 42 of 129
Plzeň
12.9 per 10,000 residents
· 48 of 129
Most sports facilities and gyms per resident: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
3.3 per 10,000 residents
· 96 of 129
Plzeň
4.3 per 10,000 residents
· 76 of 129
Dog runs within reach: Czech towns over 10,000 residents
Karlovy Vary
4.0 % of addresses
· 42 of 55
Plzeň
8.4 % of addresses
· 18 of 55
A park within reach: Czech towns over 10,000 residents
Karlovy Vary
26.0 % of addresses
· 82 of 118
Plzeň
42.9 % of addresses
· 29 of 118
Flats, internet and services
Karlovy Vary 3 : 5 Plzeň
Where most is built: new flats in Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
6.1 per 1,000 residents
· 61 of 129
Plzeň
10.8 per 1,000 residents
· 28 of 129
Where the internet is best: fibre in Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
24.7 % of addresses
· 35 of 129
Plzeň
11.0 % of addresses
· 95 of 129
Where the internet is fastest: measured in Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
67 Mbit/s
· 55 of 129
Plzeň
79 Mbit/s
· 30 of 129
Most trains: towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
133 trains a day
· 36 of 127
Plzeň
328 trains a day
· 5 of 127
Where the most restaurants, shops and services are: Czech towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
40.8 per 1,000 residents
· 3 of 129
Plzeň
24.2 per 1,000 residents
· 46 of 129
Where the municipality invests most: towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
CZK 6,471 a year
· 111 of 129
Plzeň
CZK 11,215 a year
· 37 of 129
Where the town spends most on schools: towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
CZK 3,542 a year
· 93 of 129
Plzeň
CZK 3,349 a year
· 103 of 129
Where the town spends most on sport and culture: towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
CZK 5,603 a year
· 69 of 129
Plzeň
CZK 6,673 a year
· 43 of 129
Nature and air
Karlovy Vary 5 : 3 Plzeň
Cleanest air in the towns over 10,000 residents
Karlovy Vary
12.6 µg/m³
· 76 of 129
Plzeň
12.9 µg/m³
· 85 of 129
Least fine dust in the air: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
10.2 µg/m³
· 13 of 129
Plzeň
11.7 µg/m³
· 39 of 129
Fewest addresses in a flood area: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
2.3 % of addresses
· 73 of 129
Plzeň
1.7 % of addresses
· 66 of 129
Where flash floods threaten least: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
1.0 % of addresses
· 53 of 129
Plzeň
1.1 % of addresses
· 57 of 129
Lowest radon risk: Czech towns over 10,000 residents
Karlovy Vary
21.2 % of addresses
· 90 of 129
Plzeň
31.6 % of addresses
· 87 of 129
Most forest: towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
43.5 % of the area
· 13 of 132
Plzeň
18.7 % of the area
· 68 of 132
Most natural landscape: towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
coefficient 1.67
· 26 of 132
Plzeň
coefficient 0.53
· 82 of 132
Least heating with coal and wood: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
2.9 % of flats
· 44 of 132
Plzeň
1.1 % of flats
· 7 of 132
People and life
Karlovy Vary 0 : 5 Plzeň
Fewest traffic accidents: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
2.4 per 1,000 residents
· 121 of 132
Plzeň
1.7 per 1,000 residents
· 54 of 132
Where people live longest: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
79.1 years
· 60 of 132
Plzeň
80.1 years
· 18 of 132
Fastest growing towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
+0.6 %
· 50 of 132
Plzeň
+8.9 %
· 8 of 132
Where most foreigners live: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
22.4 % of residents
· 5 of 132
Plzeň
22.4 % of residents
· 5 of 132
Where pensions are highest: towns over 10,000
Karlovy Vary
CZK 20,159 a month
· 121 of 132
Plzeň
CZK 21,436 a month
· 17 of 132
Lowest unemployment: towns over 10,000 people
Karlovy Vary
5.4 % unemployed
· 99 of 132
Plzeň
2.6 % unemployed
· 9 of 132
The longer the bar, the more towns rank below it. The town that comes out ahead is in bold.
Frequently asked questions
Karlovy Vary or Plzeň: which is better to live in?
In the 39 town rankings both are in, Karlovy Vary comes out ahead in 18 and Plzeň in 20. Karlovy Vary is furthest ahead on: cheapest flats to buy, buy vs. rent, most primary schools. Plzeň on: highest pensions, cheapest heating, lowest unemployment. What matters is up to you: every ranking has its own page.
How are the towns compared?
Each town has its place in a ranking by one figure (rent per square metre, the price of water, doctors per resident...). The one ranked higher comes out ahead. The bar shows how many towns rank below it, so rankings in different units compare too.