Gas to cost more in Germany in 2027: Verivox expects up to 500 euros extra a year

Households in Germany that heat with gas should prepare for higher bills in 2027. According to calculations by price comparison site Verivox, tariffs will rise by 10% to 20%, depending on the contract. For a single-family home, that could mean up to 500 euros in extra costs a year. The main driver is the wholesale gas price, which according to an Oct. 24 report doubled by the autumn as a result of the Iran war. It is feeding through to new contracts only gradually.

Gas for new customers currently costs about 14 cents per kilowatt-hour (seven-day average as of Oct. 23). The figure is based on the cheapest tariff per postcode for a family using 20,000 kilowatt-hours a year. Gas network fees are rising by an average of 3%, or 19 euros a year, by 8% in Berlin, while they are falling slightly in Saxony. Verivox chief executive Daniel Puschmann told the Rheinische Post in early October: "We will not freeze, but it will get more expensive." According to the 2022 census, more than half of homes in Germany are heated with gas.

For an increase taking effect on Jan. 1, 2027, basic suppliers must notify customers at least six weeks in advance, meaning by Nov. 20, 2026. For special contracts, the notice period is one month, or by Dec. 1. Under German law, customers have a special right to cancel without notice and free of charge as of the date of the price increase.