kompas
Ostrava from the tower of the New Town Hall
Photo: Palickap / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
Moravian-Silesian Region

Ostrava: A Guide for Foreigners

What you need to know about living Ostrava: where to look for housing and work, where to go for documents, and how to travel to Ukraine.

AVERAGE PAY IN THE REGION
45 013 Kč

Ostrava is the third-largest city in Czechia and the center of the Moravian-Silesian Region, a former coal and metallurgical capital of the country. For a Ukrainian family, the main thing here is prices: the average rent for a 60 m² apartment costs 14,567 Kč, which is almost half the price of Prague (26,025 Kč).

The downside is salaries. The average in the Moravian-Silesian Region is 45,013 Kč compared to 50,282 Kč nationwide, meaning the region lags by about 5,300 crowns. But the 'rent to salary' ratio here is still more favorable than in the capital.

An organizational feature of Ostrava: the state center for supporting the integration of foreigners operates in the same building as the migration policy department — consultations are available on Mondays and Wednesdays in the same building where you are already going for documents.

Useful links for newcomers

Regional payMoravian-Silesian RegionEmergency numbersWhat to dial in an emergency

The city in numbers

Every figure carries its source and period. Where a number comes from listings rather than official statistics, it is marked as a market snapshot.

Rent for a 60 m² apartment
14,567 Kč/month

an average of 247 Kč per m²; in Prague, the same apartment costs 26,025 Kč, in Brno 21,427 Kč

market snapshotRealityMIX · 07/2026
Small apartments
from 7,500 Kč

1+kk (studio) 22 m² in Moravská Ostrava costs 7,500 Kč; 1+1 (one bedroom) 40 m² costs 10,500 Kč; 2+kk (two bedrooms) 36 m² costs 11,500 Kč plus 4,430 Kč for utilities

market snapshotrealitymix / bezrealitky / sreality · snapshot from 07/25/2026
Average salary — region
45,013 Kč gross

this is the Moravian-Silesian Region, not the city: nationwide in Czechia it's 50,282 Kč, so the region lags by about 5,300 Kč

ČSÚ · 1st quarter 2026
Rent price range
6 700 – 124 900 Kč

208 listings in the snapshot: from a room on the outskirts to premium housing. The average for this selection is 14,779 Kč

market snapshotRealityMIX · snapshot from 07/25/2026

Travelling to Ukraine from Ostrava

Prices and times are a dated snapshot of the market, not an offer.

Lviv
8:00 AM – 11:25 AM678–2 279 Kč
Kyiv
5:20 PM – 12:00 AM1 258–2 363 Kč

The short version

  • 01Renting a 60 m² apartment in Ostrava costs 14,567 Kč — almost half the price of Prague (26,025 Kč).
  • 02The average salary in the Moravian-Silesian Region is 45,013 Kč, about 5,300 Kč lower than the Czech average.
  • 03The state center for supporting the integration of foreigners operates in the migration department building — consultations are available on Mondays and Wednesdays.
  • 04The Foreigners' Residence Department serves four districts: Ostrava, Karviná, Bruntál, and Opava.
  • 05The market snapshot on July 25, 2026, showed 208 rental listings — from 6,700 to 124,900 Kč per month.

Where to go: addresses, opening hours, phone numbers

Every address and every opening time comes from the office's own website and was checked on 2026-07-25. Before a long trip it is still worth calling: schedules change without notice.

Foreign police

Foreigners' Residence Department (OAMP)

Extension and modification of residence permits, permanent residence, biometrics. Serves the districts of Ostrava-City, Karviná, Bruntál, and Opava. Barrier-free access is available. The Center for the Support of Foreigner Integration also operates in this building — consultations on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Address
Výstavní 55, 703 00 Ostrava
Phone
+420 974 801 801
E-mail
pobyty@mv.gov.cz
Hours
Mon, Wed 8:00 AM–5:00 PM · Tue, Thu 8:00 AM–11:00 AM · Fri — by appointment only

There is no information desk here — you can't just 'ask a question'; questions are directed to the customer center by phone at 974 801 801 (Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, Fri 8:00 AM–2:00 PM). There is no dedicated parking. Those with appointments are served first.

Official page →
Foreign police

KACPU — temporary protection

The Moravian-Silesian Region's Regional Assistance Center for Foreigners. Literally from the Ministry of the Interior portal: 'Pracoviště odbavuje pouze žádosti o dočasnou ochranu' — meaning only applications for temporary protection, nothing else.

Address
náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad 807/14, 703 00 Ostrava
Phone
+420 974 801 802
E-mail
ukrajina@mv.gov.cz

The center does not have a separate phone number. The old address at Černé louce, which still appears in old city news archives, is no longer valid.

Official page →
Labour office

Úřad práce — contact points

Job seeker registration, social benefits, hardship assistance. Tuesdays and Thursdays here are not regular reception days: only those summoned by the institution itself are received.

Hours
Mon 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–5:00 PM · Tue 8:00 AM–11:00 AM only for invited individuals · Wed 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–5:00 PM · Thu 8:00 AM–11:00 AM only for invited individuals · Fri 8:00 AM–11:00 AM
Official page →
City hall

Magistrate — New City Hall

Resident registry, document authentication for abroad, Czech POINT. Online booking is available via objednavky.ostrava.cz or by phone at +420 599 499 311; those with appointments have priority. The department for personal documents and driver's licenses is at a separate address: Gorkého 3037/2 (Mon, Wed 7:30 AM–5:30 PM, Tue, Thu 7:30 AM–4:00 PM, Fri 7:30 AM–11:00 AM).

Address
Prokešovo náměstí 1803/8, 702 00 Ostrava
Phone
+420 599 444 444

The magistrate does not handle foreigner residence matters — that is exclusively the OAMP at Výstavní 55.

Official page →
Emergency care

Urgent care — University Hospital

The region's largest hospital. The emergency department is on the first floor of the main building (budova L).

Address
17. listopadu 1790/5, 708 52 Ostrava-Poruba
Phone
+420 597 371 111

The second large hospital is Městská nemocnice Ostrava, Nemocniční 898/20a, tel. +420 596 191 111. It is closer to the city center, so consider which is closer for non-critical conditions. In case of life threat — 155.

Official page →
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the city

Where to go for temporary protection in Ostrava?+

At the KACPU at náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad 807/14. Literally from the Ministry of the Interior portal: this branch "only handles applications for temporary protection" - they do nothing else there.

All other residence matters - extensions, address changes, permanent residence, biometrics - are at Výstavní 55. These are different addresses and different queues.

⚠️ The old KACPU address on Černá louka still appears in city news - it is no longer valid. The center does not have a separate phone number; the hotline for temporary protection is +420 974 801 802.

How much does housing cost in Ostrava?+

A 60 m² apartment in July 2026 cost an average of 14,567 CZK per month - that's 247 CZK per square meter. For comparison: in Brno it was 21,427 CZK, in Prague 26,025 CZK.

Small apartments are even cheaper: a 1+kk (studio) of 22 m² in Moravská Ostrava was available for 7,500 CZK, a 1+1 of 40 m² for 10,500 CZK, a 2+kk of 36 m² for 11,500 CZK plus 4,430 CZK for services.

Pay attention to this addition: in Czech listings, services are often counted separately from the rent, and in small apartments, they can add up to a third of the total amount.

When are the migration department and the employment service open?+

Migration Department (Výstavní 55): Monday and Wednesday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 AM–11:00 AM, Friday - only if you have been summoned by the institution.

Employment Service: Monday and Wednesday 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00 PM–5:00 PM, Friday 8:00 AM–11:00 AM. However, Tuesday and Thursday (8:00 AM–11:00 AM) are only for invited clients; you cannot just walk in.

Therefore, for both institutions, the practical days are Monday and Wednesday. Both serve registered clients first.

Where to go for an urgent problem?+

There are two large hospitals in the city, and the choice depends on where you live.

University Hospital, 17. listopadu 1790/5 in Poruba, phone +420 597 371 111 - the largest in the country; emergency reception is on the ground floor of the main building (building L).

City Hospital, Nemocniční 898/20a, phone +420 596 191 111 - closer to the center.

In case of life threat - 155 or 112.

Before you set off

🔴 You must appear for your visa sticker by September 30, 2026. Temporary protection has been extended until March 31, 2027, but this involves two steps: online registration (deadline was March 15, 2026) and a personal visit for the sticker by September 30, 2026. Details are in the legalization hub.
Two addresses not to confuse. An application for temporary protection must be submitted only at KACPU at náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad 807/14. Everything else (extension, change of address, permanent residence) is at Výstavní 55. The old KACPU address at Černé louce still appears in the city's archival news — it is no longer valid.

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Official pay statistics at city level barely exist in Czechia, so we show the region and say which one. Office addresses and prices in the guide always carry a source and a date of checking — without those they do not appear here at all.