A comparison of the cost of heating with gas in European countries at the start of the heating season showed that Ukrainians pay the least for household gas among the countries studied. This matters for Ukrainian readers because of the impact of energy prices on living costs and energy imports.
How the heating cost was calculated
The calculations were based on the assumption that burning one cubic metre of natural gas releases about 10,6 kWh of energy. The baseline used was a 60 sq. m apartment and an average consumption in January of 170−200 cubic metres of gas per month.
Monthly costs were calculated for two scenarios: base consumption — 185 cubic metres per month, and a frugal scenario — an assumed 90 cubic metres. Actual costs depend on climate, the type of building, the heating system and the desired indoor temperature; each degree above 20 °C increases consumption by about 5%.
Where gas heating is most and least expensive
At base consumption (185 m³) it is most expensive to heat a 60‑sq. m apartment in Sweden — 431,6 € per month; second is the Netherlands — 318,1 €. In a number of countries, monthly costs range from 212 to 264 €: France, Liechtenstein, Portugal, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Germany, Italy and North Macedonia.
Other countries have lower amounts: in the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Belgium, Moldova, Latvia, Estonia, Spain, Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia costs range from 122 to 177 € per month. In Romania and Bosnia and Herzegovina — just over 100 €.
Lower figures were recorded in Croatia — 98,4 €, Serbia — 95,1 € and Hungary — 64,7 €. The cheapest gas heating among the countries studied is in Ukraine: at base consumption a month of heating would cost 29,6 €, and under the frugal scenario — 14,4 €.
