EU Household Electricity Prices Fall 2.2% but Remain Above Pre-Crisis Levels

Household electricity prices across the European Union declined in the first half of 2026 compared with the preceding six months, although average bills remained elevated relative to the period before the 2022 energy crisis, according to figures published by Eurostat on Friday, October 30.

The EU's average household electricity price fell by 2.2% to approximately €0.28 per kilowatt-hour, from €0.29 in the second half of 2025. These are prices for the first six months of 2026, newly reported in October, rather than a measure of electricity prices during October itself. The figures represent an EU-wide average and do not mean that every household or member state experienced a decline.

Price differences between countries were substantial. Ireland recorded the highest nominal household electricity price, at €0.39 per kWh. Germany and Belgium followed at €0.36. Hungary recorded the lowest price at €0.11, while Malta and Bulgaria were at €0.13. Six member states had prices above €0.30 per kWh, while five were below €0.20.

Changes from the first half of 2025 also varied markedly. Eurostat reported an increase of 51.6% in Romania, 19.8% in Ireland and 18.4% in Finland when compared in national currencies. Denmark and Luxembourg, by contrast, recorded decreases of 31.7% and 24.1%, respectively. These year-on-year national changes use a different comparison period from the EU-wide 2.2% half-year decline.

Taxes and levies accounted for 28.4% of the final household electricity bill in the first half of 2026, down from 28.9% in the second half of 2025. This modest change in the tax share accompanied the reduction in the average headline price; it does not establish that taxes alone caused the overall fall.

Eurostat also provides a purchasing-power-adjusted comparison, intended to account for differences in price levels across countries. On that basis, Romania, Poland and Czechia ranked among the most expensive markets for households, while Malta, Hungary and Luxembourg ranked among the least expensive. The purchasing-power measure is distinct from the euro-denominated price per kilowatt-hour and should not be read as an actual utility tariff.

The figures provide a snapshot of the uneven cost pressures facing European households. The overall average moved lower, but prices remained above pre-crisis levels, and several countries experienced sharp annual increases. Eurostat's release does not forecast what households will pay during the coming winter.