Updated: Household Energy Prices in Hungary Still Cheapest in Europe
- 21 Feb 2025 5:47 PM
Household energy prices in Hungary are the cheapest in Europe, the government commissioner for maintaining the system of regulated utilities prices said at a press conference.
Citing a price comparison report compiled by the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH), Szilard Nemeth said household gas and electricity prices were "significantly" lower than those in other countries in the region, while the difference was even bigger in comparison with other European Union member states.
Household gas prices in Prague are four times that in Hungary, they are close to quadruple in Warsaw and two and half times more in Bratislava and Bucharest. In Stockholm, residents pay 13 times more for their gas than in Hungary.
Household electricity prices in Czechia are four times those in Hungary, they are two and half times more in Poland, double in Slovakia and close to double in Romania. In Germany, household electricity prices are four and a half times dearer than in Hungary.
Nemeth said Hungary's energy supply was secure as well as cheap, pointing to gas reserves containing enough to meet household demand for 155 winter days.
Around HUF 800bn has been earmarked in the 2025 budget for supporting the regulated household utilities price scheme, he added.
Survey: Majority supports govt utility fee reduction mechanism, many Tisza voters don't
A recent survey by Real-PR 93 has found that 66 percent of Hungarians want the government utility fee reduction scheme to be maintained, while 45 percent of Tisza Party voters would abolish it.
Real-PR 93 said in its report released on Friday that the European Commission recently initiated infringement proceedings against Hungary in connection with internal market electricity regulations, and full compliance with the EU rules would scupper the scheme, as energy would have to be sold to consumers at market prices.
Fully 22 percent of Hungarians said service providers should be free to set household energy prices according to the market.
Pro-government voters (90 percent) back the government's policy while 45 percent of Tisza Party voters would want the measure scrapped.
Fully 32 percent of Budapest residents would leave it to service providers to set the fee, the report added.
The survey of 1,000 adults was done between Feb 17 and 19.
Source:
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.
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