Where can you buy groceries cheaply in Prague? Short answer: the cheapest basic basket with no discounts at all is at the discounter Lidl, while if you're willing to use store apps, Albert comes out on top. An April 2026 comparison confirmed this with hard numbers: a set of 24 basic products cost 1,412.70 Kč at Lidl, 1,509.05 Kč at Albert, 1,542.84 Kč at Tesco, and 1,604.10 Kč at Billa — but with discounts from the Albert app, the price dropped to 1,344.95 Kč, beating everyone else.
The gap between the cheapest and most expensive chain on a single such shop is almost 200 Kč; if you shop like this every week, that adds up to roughly 10,000 Kč a year for a family. Below we break down how the chains differ, how the loyalty cards Lidl Plus, Kaufland Card, Můj Albert and Billa klub work, how to catch deals via kupi.cz, and where else in Prague you can genuinely save.
A test by the portal aRecenze.cz from April 5, 2026 compared an identical basket of 24 basic products across four chains — at regular prices and factoring in promotions and apps.
| Chain | Basket without discounts | Basket with discounts and app |
|---|---|---|
| Lidl | 1,412.70 Kč | 1,403.70 Kč |
| Albert | 1,509.05 Kč | 1,344.95 Kč |
| Tesco | 1,542.84 Kč | 1,382.84 Kč |
| Billa | 1,604.10 Kč | 1,467.10 Kč |
The main takeaway: without discounts, Lidl wins — it consistently has low shelf prices, and no registration is required. But with the app, the picture flips: Albert, thanks to aggressive promotions for cardholders, becomes the cheapest of all. A telling example from the test: butter at 39.90 Kč with the app versus 64.90 Kč at the regular price. Billa turned out to be the most expensive in both scenarios.
Penny, Kaufland and Globus weren't included in this particular test, but by positioning, Penny is just as hardcore a discounter as Lidl, while Kaufland is traditionally strong on weekly deals for meat, vegetables and fruit. Prices and promotions change every week, so before a big shop, check the current letáky (flyers) on kupi.cz or compare specific items on Potravinka.cz.
Discounters keep a narrow range, mostly own-label brands (Pilos, Milbona at Lidl; Karlova Koruna, Řezníkův talíř at Penny), which is why their base prices are lower. Lidl stands out for its bakery, deals on vegetables and fruit around the Monday and Thursday leták changes, and non-food weeks. Penny often wins on discounted meat. The downside is a smaller brand selection and queues at peak hours.
Kaufland is the golden mean: a huge selection and strong promotional deals via the Kaufland Card. Tesco is noticeably better value with a Clubcard — it unlocks separate Clubcard ceny prices. Globus is located on the outskirts (in Prague: Zličín, Černý Most, Čakovice and Štěrboholy), known for its own bakery and meat production; prices aren't the lowest, but the quality of in-house production is high, and it has its own bonus program.
These are classic supermarkets near metro stations and in residential neighborhoods. Shelf prices are higher than at discounters, but Albert with its app, per the April 2026 test, came out as the cheapest option overall. Billa is convenient for its location and fresh baked goods, but it consistently loses on basket price — it's worth visiting selectively for specific promotions.
Without apps, you're paying inflated prices at Czech chains today: a significant share of discounts is available only to registered shoppers. Here's how the programs work in 2026.
| Program | Earning rate | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Lidl Plus | 1 point per 10 Kč — the Lidl body system, in effect since March 2, 2026 | Points last two years and convert into coupons: discounts on items and vouchers for the whole receipt. App only |
| Kaufland Card | 1 point per 100 Kč | Points are valid for 6 months, exchangeable for coupons and discounts on select items. A plastic card is also available |
| Můj Albert | Credits for purchases, 20 credits give a 20 Kč discount | Credits expire after 6 months. Promotional prices are app-only |
| Billa klub | 1 point per 50 Kč | 50 points = a 10 Kč discount, 250 points = 5 percent off the whole receipt; managed via the BILLA app |
| Tesco Clubcard | 1 point per 10 Kč | 300 points per period = a 30 Kč voucher, plus separate Clubcard ceny prices |
| PENNY karta | Penníky points are awarded in promotional waves: in summer 2026 it's 1 point per 50 Kč, doubled on Wednesdays | The current wave runs until September 1, 2026; points can only be redeemed for discounts with the digital card in the app |
Practical tip: you don't need to install all six apps. Two or three for the stores near your home are enough — usually Lidl Plus plus Kaufland Card or Můj Albert. Chain program terms change from time to time, so check the current rules directly in the apps.
Czechia is a country of promotions: a significant share of groceries are bought at discounted prices straight from flyers. The aggregator kupi.cz collects more than 20,000 promotional prices from nearly three hundred letáky across all chains. The free app's key feature is the hlídač akčních nabídek (deal watcher): mark the items you want, and when coffee, butter or diapers go on sale at any chain, you get a notification. The service itself promises savings of up to 50 percent — in practice, it all depends on how disciplined you are about planning purchases around promotions.
A workable routine looks like this: once a week, browse the letáky of nearby stores, build a shopping list around the deals, and top up the rest at a discounter. Perishables with yellow markdown stickers later in the evening are another way to save an extra 30-50 percent.
Farmers' markets (Náplavka on Saturdays, Heřmaňák in Holešovice, Kubánské náměstí) aren't really about cheapness but about quality — though in season, local vegetables and fruit can be a better deal than the supermarket, especially near closing time. Vietnamese večerky (corner shops) are handy for their late hours, but prices there are noticeably higher — they're an option for urgent purchases, not for saving money. A big shop for vegetables and Asian products pays off at the SAPA market in the Libuš area.
Household chemicals and cosmetics are cheaper not at supermarkets but at drogerie stores — dm, Rossmann and Teta with their own discount programs, or at the discounters Action, Pepco and Tedi. If you hold a živnostenské oprávnění (trade license), the wholesaler Makro is available — the customer card is issued to your IČO.
Online supermarkets Rohlík, Košík and Tesco Online are usually more expensive than discounters on base prices, but they have their own promotions, subscription programs and markdown items, and above all — they save time and cut down on impulse purchases. For a detailed comparison of the services, delivery prices, and promo codes for new customers, see our separate guide on grocery delivery with Rohlík and Košík.
The good news: groceries in Czechia are getting cheaper. According to ČSÚ, annual inflation slowed to 1.5 percent in June 2026, while prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages fell 3.4 percent year on year. Butter dropped 35.5 percent in price — the average price of 142 Kč per kilogram is the lowest since August 2021; long-life semi-skimmed milk fell 29.4 percent. Eggs are more volatile: in June they cost 9.5 percent less than a year earlier, having dropped 19.7 percent in just that one month alone. Specific prices change quickly — the current average level is easy to check on Kurzy.cz in the základní potraviny section.
Saving on groceries is just one part of the family budget: also check your energy rates and mobile carrier, and it's worth putting whatever you save into a spořicí účet savings account. Don't forget about your tax refund either — accountants can help you calculate deductions.
Without discounts — Lidl: a basket of 24 basic products cost 1,412.70 Kč there in April 2026. With the app, Albert comes out cheapest of all — 1,344.95 Kč for the same basket. The most expensive of the tested chains is Billa.
No. Pick two or three chains near your home and install their apps, plus kupi.cz to track deals. At Albert, Tesco and Billa, you're systematically overpaying without a card; Lidl's low prices are available even without registration, but Lidl body points and coupons add extra savings.
2026 comparisons show that some items in Poland really are cheaper, but from Prague the drive to the border eats up the savings — it mainly makes sense for residents of border regions doing big shops. For Prague, combining a discounter with app promotions is more effective.
Via weekly promotions at Lidl, Penny and Kaufland — the chains rotate deep discounts on seasonal items. In summer and autumn, farmers' markets and pick-your-own farms are competitive, and for exotic produce and large volumes it's worth heading to SAPA.
If your budget is still tight after paying for housing, check your eligibility for a housing allowance — we cover how to apply in our guide to the příspěvek na bydlení. Also review your insurance policies and phone and energy tariffs: it's usually recurring bills, not groceries, that eat up the budget the most.
Comments (0)
Please be polite. Spam and insults will be removed.