Hungary household energy bills still lowest in broad European comparison, says energy authority

Hungarian household energy bills in April were the lowest in a broad comparison of European cities, according to the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH).

The authority found that out of 24 EU capital cities plus Belgrade

household gas was the cheapest in Budapest, costing 2.79 eurocent/kWh.

The average price of natural gas in the 24 cities was 12.69 eurocent/kWh, over four times the Hungarian price, MEKH said.

Meanwhile, in its comparison of household electricity prices in 27 European cities, prices in Budapest were the second cheapest after Belgrade, at 10.32 eurocent/kWh.

The average price paid in the cities surveyed was 27.48 eurocent/kWh, 60 percent more than in Hungary, the authority said.

The agency pointed out that in April, several European capitals saw a surge in residential electricity prices.

In Vienna, electricity prices rose from 31.84 cents/kWh in January to 48.81 cents/kWh in April. Increases were also recorded in Copenhagen (15 percent), London (39 percent) and Amsterdam (51 percent).

In Hungary, as a result of the cuts, the prices of electricity and natural gas paid by consumers using the universal service are fixed and kept fixed by law, meaning that Hungarian consumers are protected against price increases on the markets, MEKH said.

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