Electricity and gas prices vary significantly across Europe. When adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP), the greatest burden on households falls in Central and Eastern European countries.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, energy prices for households in Europe rose sharply. About a year later, they stabilized, but according to the Household Energy Price Index (HEPI), they still remain above pre-crisis levels.
Energy costs are particularly critical for low-income households, which spend a larger share of their budget on them. On average, according to Eurostat, electricity, gas, and other fuels account for 4.6% of total household expenditures in the EU.
Which European capitals are currently paying the most and the least for electricity and gas as of early 2026?
Starting from January 2, 2026, retail electricity prices for residential consumers ranged from 8.8 c€/kWh in Kyiv to 38.5 c€/kWh in Bern, while the average figure for the EU was 25.8 c€/kWh.
Berlin (38.4), Brussels (36.5), Dublin (36.5), London (36.4), and Prague (36.4) were among the most expensive cities for household electricity prices.
Apart from Kyiv, the lowest rates for households are offered by Budapest (9.6), Podgorica (11.1), and Belgrade (11.6).
Riga showed a result above the average (26.5).
Overall, in the capitals of Central and Eastern European countries, except for Prague, electricity is cheaper.
In the capitals of the five largest economies in Europe, electricity prices regularly exceed the EU average, and January 2026 was no exception.
Leave a comment