Prague is more expensive because the set of buyers and potential buyers (or consumers) is wealthier which is why the equilibrium market price for many things (like restaurants) is higher. The potential buyers are wealthier because the wages in Prague are higher, often by a factor of two in average, than they are outside Prague; and because the buyers are supplemented with foreign tourists or officials or business people who mostly do their work in Prague.

There are many ways to quantify the living standards. The purchase parity based GDP per capita is the most obvious measure. Czechia surpassed Greece and Portugal a decade ago, Spain recently, and it is getting above Italy right now. The Czech-Greek gap is almost thirty percent by now. Another survey is where Czechia is right beneath Spain and vastly better than Italy. Due to the Cold War memories, such a Czech success is often viewed as counterintuitive by the old Westerners and some others.

I’m gonna do it.

As of today, Sunday January 22, 2023 at 20:00, I cleaned my ashtray. No more smoking. I’m done. I stop cold turkey. If I get into problems, I will buy Nicorette chewing gum. The coming week I will drink a lot of water and tea. It helps removing the nicotine from my body. There are no stress-signs ahead, so that’s good.

After two strokes it’s very unwise to keep smoking. Furthermore, I love my wife and kids and every year gained by non-smoking is welcome.

Jdu do Lidlu. Koupím tatarák. Je ve slevě. Místo 79,90 ,- stojí 58,90 ,-. Koupím ještě pár věcí, zkrátka takový normální nákup. Prohlédnu si účtenku. Za zlevněný tatarák naúčtována původní cena. Protestuji na pokladně, dostanu dvacku.

Jdu do Kauflandu. Koupím si slaninu ve slevě, o nějakých 12 korun levnější. Prohlédnu si účtenku. Za zlevněnou slaninu naúčtována původní cena. Jdu protestovat na informace, dostanu 12 korun.

Jdu do Tesca na gigantický nákup, mám clubcard. Žádný problém. Všechno správně zlevněné.