Heating cost comparison: what a kilowatt-hour of heat costs
Current energy prices for households in Austria, converted to what reaches your rooms. As of 17 October 2026. We update the figures every month.
Annual heating costs for your house
- Wood chip boiler –
- Log wood boiler (hardwood) –
- Heat pump –
- Pellet heating –
- Gas heating –
- Oil heating –
- Direct electric heating –
Running energy costs with the prices above, excluding maintenance and chimney sweep. The exact values are in the table.
Cost per kilowatt-hour of heat
| Heating | Energy price | per kWh of heat |
|---|---|---|
| Heat pump, seasonal performance factor 3 | 30,7 ct per kWh of electricity | 10,2 ct |
| Heat pump, seasonal performance factor 4 | 30,7 ct per kWh of electricity | 7,7 ct |
| Gas heating | 0,13 € per kWh | 14,1 ct |
| Oil heating | 1,821 € per l | 21,4 ct |
| Pellet heating | 0,445 € per kg | 10,3 ct |
| Direct electric heating | 0,307 € per kWh | 30,7 ct |
| Log wood boiler (hardwood) | 0,073 € per kWh | 8,6 ct |
| Wood chip boiler | 0,041 € per kWh | 5,1 ct |
Heat pump: electricity price divided by the seasonal performance factor. Fuels: price divided by calorific value times system efficiency (gas 92 %, oil 85 %, pellets 88 %, as in our calculators). Wood: prices per kWh of calorific value according to the Biomasseverband (Biomass Association), efficiency of split logs 85 %, wood chips 80 %. Electricity and gas: average of the regional energy suppliers according to the E-Control price monitor, including grid, taxes and basic fee. A dedicated heat pump tariff can be cheaper; in the Vorarlberg example, it was around 10 % below the household tariff. Maintenance and chimney sweeps are not included.
Annual heating costs: table
For three typical annual heat quantities (heating and hot water, i.e. what actually reaches the house):
| Heating | 10.000 kWh | 15.000 kWh | 20.000 kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat pump, SPF 3 | 1.022 € | 1.534 € | 2.045 € |
| Heat pump, SPF 4 | 767 € | 1.150 € | 1.533 € |
| Gas heating | 1.409 € | 2.113 € | 2.817 € |
| Oil heating | 2.142 € | 3.214 € | 4.285 € |
| Pellet heating | 1.033 € | 1.549 € | 2.065 € |
| Direct electric heating | 3.067 € | 4.601 € | 6.134 € |
| Log wood boiler (hardwood) | 864 € | 1.295 € | 1.727 € |
| Wood chip boiler | 507 € | 761 € | 1.015 € |
How much heat your house needs and which seasonal performance factor is realistic is calculated by the heat pump calculator based on your details. You can compare your own prices in the cost comparison.
The prices in detail
- Electricity, household: 0,3067 €/kWh, key date 1 October 2026 (average of state energy suppliers, own calculation), Source
- Electricity, household (Eurostat): 0,326 €/kWh, 1st half of 2026, Source
- Heat pump tariff, Vorarlberg example: 0,1665 €/kWh, table 'Brennstoffe im Vergleich 2026' (Fuels in comparison 2026), image file from 21.07.2026, source
- Natural gas: 0,1296 €/kWh, as of 1 September 2026 (average of the regional energy suppliers, own calculation), source
- Natural gas (Eurostat): 0,124 €/kWh, 1st half of 2026, Source
- Extra light heating oil: 1,821 €/l, week ending 12 October 2026, Source
- Wood pellets: 0,4453 €/kg, average price as of 1 October 2026, Source
- Hardwood firewood: 0,0734 €/kWh, as at 21 September 2026, Source
- Forest woodchips: 0,0406 €/kWh, as at 21 September 2026, Source
Sources
- E-Control: Electricity price monitor, 1 October 2026 (PDF) (retrieved on 17 October 2026)
- Eurostat nrg_pc_204: Electricity prices for household consumers, Austria, Band DC, I_TAX (retrieved on 17 October 2026)
- Energieinstitut Vorarlberg: Energy price comparison (retrieved on 17 October 2026)
- E-Control: Gas price monitor, 1 September 2026 (PDF, page 2) (retrieved on 4 October 2026)
- Eurostat nrg_pc_202: Gas prices for household consumers, Austria, Band D2, I_TAX (retrieved on 17 October 2026)
- European Commission: Weekly Oil Bulletin, Prices with taxes (XLSX, Bulletin of 15 October 2026) (retrieved on 17 October 2026)
- proPellets Austria: Pellet prices October 2026 (retrieved on 17 October 2026)
- Österreichischer Biomasseverband: Energy source comparison September 2026 (PDF) (retrieved on 17 October 2026)
- Energiesparverband OÖ (Energy Agency of Upper Austria): Energiekennzahlen (Umrechnungstabelle Heizwert) (Energy indicators (conversion table calorific value)) (accessed on 4 October 2026)