Before winter: firewood up €5, pellets up to 30 percent dearer
Two rooms need at least 6 to 7 cubic metres of wood, or over €455. A pensioner heating with air conditioners expects €150–200 power bills. There is no single cheapest option.
Symbolic image · Photo: Dmitry Makeev / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
As winter approaches, Bulgarian households are working out what heating will cost, BNT reported. Beech firewood sells for €65 per cubic metre and oak for €5 more, while cutting and splitting adds another €10 per cubic metre. Heating two rooms takes at least 6 to 7 cubic metres, or a minimum of €455. The manager of a timber firm said prices were €5 higher than last year because of road tolls and fuel.
Pellets cost 20 to 30 percent more than a year ago. A pensioner who heats a flat in an unrenovated block with inverter air conditioners expects a winter electricity bill of €150 to €200 and says his pension will not even cover the power. Another resident estimates around €750 per season for two rooms. The report's conclusion: there is no single cheapest way to heat – costs depend on the home, the equipment and habits.