Natural gas prices paid by households across the European Union declined significantly during the first six months of 2026, reaching their lowest average level since the first half of 2022, according to newly released
figures from Eurostat.
The average price of gas stood at €0.11 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), marking a 10.2% reduction compared with the second half of 2025. Prices were also 3.5% lower than during the corresponding period a year earlier.
The latest figures suggest that household gas prices are returning to a more familiar seasonal pattern, similar to the fluctuations observed before the energy crisis of 2022.
The data was published by Eurostat as part of its latest assessment of natural gas prices across Europe.
Significant differences between national markets
Despite the overall decline, household gas costs continued to vary considerably between EU countries.
Sweden recorded the highest average price in the first half of 2026, at €0.22 per kWh. The Netherlands followed at €0.16, while France and Portugal reported prices of €0.13 per kWh.
At the opposite end of the scale, Hungary had the lowest household gas prices, averaging just €0.03 per kWh. Croatia recorded €0.05, while Romania and Slovakia both reported €0.06 per kWh.
The direction of price movements also differed across national markets. Compared with the first half of 2025, gas prices declined in 12 countries for which data was available, rose in seven and remained largely unchanged in four.
Bulgaria experienced the steepest decrease, with prices falling by 14.5%. Greece recorded a reduction of 11.3%, followed by Spain, where household gas prices dropped by 10%.
In contrast, Romania saw the largest increase, with prices rising by 9.3%. Croatia followed with an 8.9% increase, while Slovakia recorded a 6.6% rise.
Purchasing power reveals a different picture
When household gas prices are adjusted for differences in purchasing power, the ranking of countries changes.
Measured in purchasing power standards (PPS) per 100 kWh, Sweden remained the most expensive country, at 17.7 PPS. Portugal ranked second at 15.0 PPS, followed by the Netherlands at 13.8 PPS.
Hungary continued to have the lowest prices under this measure, at 4.3 PPS per 100 kWh. Luxembourg followed at 6.6 PPS, while Croatia recorded 6.8 PPS.
The purchasing power measure provides a more comparable assessment of energy costs by taking into account differences in the cost of living and purchasing power between countries.
The figures highlight how, despite a broad decline in European household gas prices, substantial differences remain between national markets, both in nominal costs and in the relative financial burden on consumers. Photo by CARLOS534, Wikimedia commons.
