Eurostat: Bulgaria had EU’s largest annual decrease in gas prices for households in first half of 2026
Bulgaria had the largest decrease in gas prices for households in the European Union in the first half of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025, according to figures published by EU statistics agency Eurostat on October 30.
Among the EU countries with available data, in the first half of 2026, Sweden recorded the highest gas prices for households at €0.22 per kWh, followed by the Netherlands (0.16 euro) and France and Portugal (both 0.13 euro).
The lowest prices were in Hungary (0.03 euro per kWh), Croatia (0.05 euro) Romania and Slovakia (both 0.06 euro).
Compared with the same period of 2025 and measured in national currencies, prices decreased in 12 countries with available data, increased in seven, and remained broadly stable in four.
The largest decreases were in Bulgaria (-14.5 per cent), Greece (-11.3 per cent) and Spain (-10.0 per cent), while the largest increases were in Romania (9.3 per cent), Croatia (8.9 per cent), and Slovakia (6.6 per cent).
Expressed in purchasing power standard (PPS), the highest natural gas prices for households were observed in Sweden (17.7 per 100 kWh), Portugal (15.0) and the Netherlands (13.8). The lowest prices based on PPS were in Hungary (4.3), Luxembourg (6.6) and Croatia (6.8).
In the first half of 2026, average gas prices for EU households fell to 0.11 euro per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Prices decreased by 10.2 per cent compared with the second semester of 2025 and by 3.5 per cent compared with the first semester of 2025.
This is the lowest average price of gas in the EU recorded after the first semester of 2022, Eurostat said.
At the same time, seasonal fluctuations resumed the pattern that was visible before the 2022 energy crisis, the statistics agency said.
(Photo: Ivan Ridic, via Wikimedia Commons)
