Energy prices in the Netherlands: what a kWh and a m³ cost, and what changes in 2027
Current prices, what a household really pays per year, and where the money goes
The short answer
A new Dutch energy contract cost on average €0.334/kWh for electricity and €1.836/m³ for gas in 9 November 2026, including energy tax and VAT. A two-person household in an average home pays about €3,038 a year once fixed charges and the €629 tax rebate are counted.
The gap between suppliers is large: from €0.274/kWh to €0.396/kWh for the same electricity. Our energy providers comparison shows who sits where, and the energy comparison tool works out the yearly cost for your own usage.
For 2027, expect higher network costs (about €141 a year on average, according to the regulator ACM) and the end of net metering for solar panels. Household energy tax was not raised.
Table of contents
How much does electricity cost in the Netherlands?
Electricity on a new contract averaged €0.334/kWh and gas €1.836/m³ in 9 November 2026. Both figures include energy tax and 21 percent VAT, so they are the prices you actually pay per unit. They come from the daily supplier table on Energievergelijk.nl, which we track every week.
| New contracts, 9 November 2026 | Electricity | Gas |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest offer | €0.274/kWh | €1.663/m³ |
| Market average | €0.334/kWh | €1.836/m³ |
| Most expensive offer | €0.396/kWh | €2.119/m³ |
Gas looks expensive per unit because of energy tax: €0.727 of every m³ was tax in 2026, against €0.111 per kWh of electricity. If you rent a home heated with gas, the gas part is usually the bigger half of your bill. Our energy and heating guide explains how Dutch heating, meters and bills work.
What does a Dutch household pay for energy per year?
The yearly bill is the per-unit price times your usage, plus fixed network and supply charges, minus the energy tax rebate. The table uses the market average price, Nibud usage figures for an average home, and the 2026 average fixed charges published by CBS.
| Household | Electricity use | Gas use | Yearly cost | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 1,600 kWh | 800 m³ | €2,327 | €194 |
| 2 people | 2,410 kWh | 1,040 m³ | €3,038 | €253 |
| 4 people | 3,510 kWh | 1,500 m³ | €4,250 | €354 |
Your own bill can differ a lot
An older apartment with single glazing can use twice the gas of a new-build. A home on district heating (stadsverwarming) has no gas bill at all but pays a heat supplier instead. The energy comparison tool lets you enter your own usage, which you find on your annual bill or in your supplier's app.
What makes up the price
A Dutch energy bill has five parts. Only the first one differs between suppliers, which is why switching saves money on supply but never on network costs or tax.
| Part of the bill | 2026 amount | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Supply price per kWh and m³ | Varies by supplier and contract | Your supplier |
| Energy tax (energiebelasting) | €0.111 per kWh, €0.727 per m³ incl. VAT (first bracket) | Government |
| Network charges (netbeheerkosten) | €477 electricity, €268 gas per year on average | Regional network operator, approved by ACM |
| Fixed supply charges (vaste leveringskosten) | €115 electricity, €93 gas per year on average | Your supplier |
| Energy tax rebate (vermindering energiebelasting) | About €629 off per year | Government |
VAT of 21 percent applies to everything. The network operator is fixed by where you live (Liander, Stedin or Enexis for most homes), and it bills through your supplier. That is also why switching supplier never cuts off your supply.
What changes on your energy bill in 2027
Network costs rise about 20 percent
The regulator ACM expects households to pay on average €89 more per year for electricity transport and €52 more for gas in 2027, about €141 in total. The money goes to grid expansion: new cables, transformer stations and connections for offshore wind. The exact amount depends on your network operator, and the figures are tariff proposals until ACM sets the final tariffs.
Energy tax: no increase for households
The government did not raise household energy tax in its 2027 tax plan, and the rebate stays at roughly the 2026 level. The Belastingdienst publishes the exact 2027 rates in its tariff table around the turn of the year. We will add them here as soon as they are official.
Net metering ends for solar panels
From 1 January 2027 you can no longer offset the solar power you feed into the grid against the power you use. Suppliers must pay at least 50 percent of the bare supply price for what you feed in until 2030. If you own solar panels, read our solar panels and home battery guide for what this means in practice.
Check your advance payment in January
Higher network costs feed straight into your monthly advance payment. Suppliers usually adjust it in January. If yours does not, you will pay the difference with your annual bill instead.
Fixed, variable or dynamic prices
- Fixed (vast): the per-unit price is locked for one to five years. Predictable, and the contract type that carries the welcome bonuses, currently up to €500.
- Variable (variabel): the supplier can change the price, usually once a month or quarter. You can leave at any time with 30 days' notice.
- Dynamic (dynamisch): you pay the wholesale price for every hour or quarter hour, plus a markup. Cheapest for households that can shift usage, riskiest for those who cannot. See our dynamic energy contracts guide.
Ending a fixed contract early can cost a cancellation fee (opzegvergoeding), capped by rules from the regulator.
How to lower your energy bill
- Compare suppliers once a year. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive offer is worth hundreds of euros for an average household.
- Take the welcome bonus into account. A bonus is paid out over the contract term, so divide it by the number of years before comparing.
- Lower the thermostat at night and when you are out. Gas is the expensive part, and heating is most of the gas.
- Check that your advance payment matches your real usage. Too high is an interest-free loan to your supplier, too low means a large bill later.
- Ask about help if you cannot pay. Your municipality can help with energy debts, and suppliers have to try to reach you and offer a payment arrangement before they can disconnect you.
Vattenfall: up to €500 welcome discount
The largest welcome bonus among the big suppliers right now, on a fixed contract with 100 percent green electricity. Compare it with the other suppliers in our table before you sign.
View Vattenfall offerAffiliate link. No extra cost to you, keeps our expat guides free.
Frequently asked questions
What does a kWh of electricity cost in the Netherlands?
New contracts averaged €0.334/kWh for electricity in 9 November 2026, including energy tax and 21% VAT. The cheapest offers started around €0.274/kWh and the most expensive reached €0.396/kWh. On top of the per-kWh price you pay fixed network and supply charges, and you get a yearly energy tax rebate of about €629.
What does a cubic metre of gas cost in the Netherlands?
New contracts averaged €1.836/m³ for gas in 9 November 2026, including energy tax and VAT, with offers ranging from €1.663/m³ to €2.119/m³. Energy tax alone was €0.727 per m³ including VAT in 2026, which is why gas is the expensive part of most Dutch bills.
Will energy be more expensive in 2027?
Network costs will. The regulator ACM expects households to pay on average €89 more per year for electricity transport and €52 more for gas transport in 2027, about 20 percent more, though these are still tariff proposals. The government did not raise household energy tax for 2027. What happens to the supply price depends on the wholesale market and on the contract you hold.
What is the energy tax rebate (heffingskorting)?
Every household with an electricity connection gets a fixed reduction on its energy tax, €519.80 excluding VAT in 2026, which is about €629 including VAT. Your supplier deducts it from your bill automatically, usually spread over the monthly advance payments. You get it once per connection.
Why is my monthly advance payment so high?
The monthly amount (termijnbedrag) is an estimate of your yearly cost divided by twelve. When you move into a new home the supplier guesses your usage, often high. You can lower it in the supplier's app or account, but if you set it too low you will pay the difference with your annual bill (jaarafrekening).
Are fixed or variable energy prices cheaper right now?
That depends on the day you sign. A fixed contract locks the per-kWh and per-m³ price for one to five years, which protects you against price spikes. A variable contract can change price every month, and a dynamic contract follows the wholesale market hour by hour or even per quarter hour. Compare the actual offers for your address before deciding.
Official sources
- • Belastingdienst on energy tax: rates per bracket and the rebate per connection
- • ACM on 2027 network tariffs: €89 and €52 more per household
- • Rijksoverheid on the end of net metering: what changes on 1 January 2027
- • Energievergelijk: the daily supplier table our rates come from