Winter energy bills: Where are gas and electricity prices highest in Europe?

Energy prices differ sharply between European capitals. The comparison uses prices per unit, including taxes, rather than total household bills. That makes it easier to compare cities, although actual bills also depend on how much energy households use.

For electricity, Brussels is the most expensive capital at 41.3 c€/kWh. Berlin, Dublin, Bern and London follow. Kyiv is cheapest at 8.4, followed by Budapest at 10.3. For gas, Stockholm is a major outlier at 34.8 c€/kWh, with Amsterdam second at 21.2. Kyiv again has the lowest price, at 1.5.

The rankings show that the same city can be expensive for one fuel but not another. Among the five largest European economies, Paris has the highest gas price, while Rome has the highest electricity price. Prices may remain under pressure as winter approaches and wholesale gas costs rise, although fixed contracts and government support can soften the impact.

The capital-city price gap is enormous. Electricity ranges from 8.4 c€/kWh in Kyiv to 41.3 in Brussels, a difference of 32.9 cents. Gas ranges from 1.5 in Kyiv to 34.8 in Stockholm, a difference of 33.3 cents. These are prices including taxes.

Kyiv’s electricity price is 18.8 c€/kWh below the EU capital-city average of 27.2. Brussels is 14.1 above that average. For gas, Kyiv is 10.4 below the EU average of 11.9, while Stockholm is 22.9 above it. Stockholm therefore costs almost three times the average gas price, while Kyiv costs only a small fraction of it.

The figures show why national comparisons can hide major differences. Household energy costs depend on local prices, taxes and living costs. Purchasing-power adjustments change the picture further, so a low euro price does not always mean energy is most affordable for residents.

A purchasing power standard, or PPS, compares prices after accounting for differences in the cost of living between countries. It asks how expensive energy is relative to what people can generally afford, rather than looking only at the euro price. This matters because the same bill can place a very different burden on households in different countries.

Electricity provides a striking example. In euro terms, Brussels is highest at 41.3 c€/kWh. After adjustment, Bucharest ranks first at 55.1, while Oslo becomes cheapest at 11.5. Among the largest economies, Rome is most expensive at 38.2 PPS and Paris cheapest at 25.8.

The adjustment can change policy and affordability comparisons. Bucharest and Warsaw each rise ten places, while Bern falls twenty. Gas rankings also shift: Sofia moves from 18th in euro terms to fifth in PPS terms. Prices therefore need both measures for a fuller picture.

Gas and electricity prices rose after tensions around the Iran war escalated because energy supplies and transport were disrupted. The Strait of Hormuz normally carries about a fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas. Disruption there increased concern about available supplies, especially ahead of winter, when energy demand can rise.

Dutch TTF gas futures climbed to €87.20 per megawatt-hour, from about €32 on the eve of the conflict. That is a sharp increase in the wholesale cost of gas. Higher gas costs can eventually reach households through energy suppliers, depending on their contracts and national support measures.

The household increase was smaller and slower than the wholesale move. Between 2 February and 1 September 2026, residential gas prices rose 12% on average across EU capitals, while electricity prices rose 4.2%. Low storage levels and continuing shipping disruption kept winter energy costs a concern.

Wholesale gas prices can affect household electricity because gas is used to generate power. When the fuel becomes more expensive, producing electricity in gas-fired power stations also costs more. Suppliers and power markets can then pass some of that higher cost into electricity prices.

The article identifies this mechanism directly: higher gas prices can push up electricity costs by making gas-fired power generation more expensive. This helps explain why electricity prices increased even though the immediate shock was concentrated in gas markets. The effect is not necessarily instant, because contracts and government support can delay or soften changes.

Household electricity prices rose 4.2% on average across EU capitals between 2 February and 1 September 2026. That was slower than the 12% rise in residential gas prices, but it still shows the connection between the fuels. Further gas-market disruption could continue putting pressure on electricity costs, particularly before winter.

Wholesale prices can change quickly, but household bills often adjust more slowly. Fixed energy contracts lock in prices for a period, while government support can reduce or delay the amount households pay. Suppliers may also pass higher costs through gradually rather than immediately.

The difference is clear in the figures. Between 2 February and 1 September 2026, residential gas prices including taxes rose 12% on average across EU capitals. Electricity prices increased 4.2%. By comparison, between 23 February and 5 October, average EU diesel prices rose 35% and petrol prices rose 23%.

This does not mean households are protected permanently. Fixed contracts eventually expire, and support policies can change. Higher wholesale gas prices may then feed more fully into bills, especially with storage levels low and winter approaching. The timing and size of the increase will vary between countries and households.

A kilowatt-hour, or kWh, measures an amount of energy used by a household. A megawatt-hour, or MWh, is a larger unit equal to 1,000 kWh. Household energy prices are commonly shown in cents per kilowatt-hour, while wholesale gas markets often quote prices in euros per megawatt-hour.

The article compares residential electricity and gas prices per kWh, including taxes. For example, electricity ranges from 8.4 c€/kWh in Kyiv to 41.3 in Brussels. Dutch TTF wholesale gas futures reached €87.20 per MWh. Using a common energy unit makes prices across fuels and cities easier to compare.

A unit price is not the same as a household’s total bill. Total costs also depend on how much gas or electricity people use. This distinction matters when comparing capitals: a city with a high per-unit price may not have the highest bill for every household, because consumption differs.