EU household electricity and gas prices fell in the first half of 2026: Who pays the most?

Even as the Iran war started driving up wholesale gas prices, household electricity and gas prices fell on average across the EU in the first half of 2026.The differences between countries were striking. A unit of electricity cost more than three times as much in Ireland as in Hungary, according to Eurostat.Where in Europe did households pay the most and least for electricity and gas? And how do the rankings change when local price levels are taken into account?Among 38 European countries with data, household electricity prices including taxes ranged from €6.6 per 100 kWh in Turkey to €38.7 in Ireland in the first half of 2026. Hungary had the lowest price in the EU at €11.4, while the EU average was €28.3.In euro terms, Ireland was followed by Germany (€36.2), Belgium (€35.8), Austria (€32.6), Italy (€31.4) and Sweden (€30.6), all above €30 per 100 kWh.Electricity prices were lower than the EU average in Spain (€25.1) and France (€24.9).Romania has the highest electricity prices in purchasing power termsPrices were generally lower in EU candidate countries, and the gap with the most expensive countries was large. That gap narrowed once differences in local price levels were taken into account using purchasing power standards (PPS).Electricity prices ranged from 12.6 PPS per 100 kWh in Iceland to 46.9 in Romania. Poland (41.1) and…