Household electricity prices in the European Union eased slightly in the first half of 2026, but the Eurostat figures published on 30 October 2026 show that a bill in one capital can still cost more than three times a bill in another. The EU average stood at €0.28 per kilowatt hour, or €28 per 100 kWh, down 2.2% from €0.29 in the second half of 2025.

The gap between member states in household electricity prices is the real story behind the average. Ireland recorded the highest price at €0.39 per kWh, ahead of Germany and Belgium at €0.36 each. At the other end of the scale, Hungary posted €0.11, while Malta and Bulgaria both stood at €0.13. In total, six countries priced household electricity above €0.30 per kWh, and five stayed below €0.20.

Raw euro prices only tell half of the story, because incomes and living costs differ widely across the Union. When Eurostat adjusts household electricity prices for purchasing power, the ranking changes sharply. Romania comes out on top at 46.9 purchasing power standards per 100 kWh, followed by Poland at 41.1 and Czechia at 34.3. Malta is cheapest at 13.8, with Hungary at 14.7 and Luxembourg at 15.5. Households in central and eastern Europe therefore carry the heaviest relative burden, even where nominal bills look moderate.

The year-on-year movements were just as uneven. Measured in national currency against the first half of 2025, household electricity prices jumped 51.6% in Romania, 19.8% in Ireland and 18.4% in Finland. Denmark moved in the opposite direction with a drop of 31.7%, and Luxembourg recorded a fall of 24.1%. Such swings in household electricity prices reflect national decisions on subsidies, network charges and tax relief as much as wholesale market conditions, which is why a single EU average hides so much.

Taxes and levies also shifted. Their share of the final household bill slipped from 28.9% in the second half of 2025 to 28.4% in the first half of 2026, a fall of 0.5 percentage points. The change is small, yet it shows governments trimming the fiscal component while network costs and supply margins keep consumers’ bills elevated. Eurostat notes that prices remain well above the levels seen before the 2022 energy crisis.

For policymakers in Brussels, the data feeds directly into the debate over affordable energy ahead of winter. The Commission has pushed member states to lower electricity taxation relative to gas and to speed up grid investment, and the latest numbers will be used by both sides of that argument. Countries with falling bills point to the benefit of targeted support and cheaper renewable supply, while those with surging costs argue that EU-level action on network charges is overdue.

The lesson from the first half of 2026 is that household electricity prices are easing only gradually and unevenly. An EU average of €0.28 per kWh is welcome relief after a long run of increases, but the spread from €0.11 to €0.39 shows how far the single energy market still is from delivering comparable bills. Whether the next Eurostat release confirms a lasting downward trend will depend on winter demand, gas prices and national fiscal choices.