The gas prices for the population in different European countries are different and the dynamics of these prices last year was poorly correlated with the dynamics of prices at the world gas market, shows the European rating of natural gas prices for the population during the semi-annual period in 2015 worked out by the experts of RIA Rating.
As a year ago Sweden leads in the rating of gas price for the population with $1.27 per 1 cub.m. Because of low gas share in the energy balance of this country, this type of fuel is more of a luxury for some residents, than necessity in Sweden. The Swedish population is oriented first of all to consumption of “green” energy.
Right after Sweden come Portugal, Spain, Italy and Denmark, where gas price is tied up to the tax policy of the state stimulating consumption of expensive ecological energy and for this purpose tying up gas price for the population with the cost price of green energy. The crisis also affected gas price in Southern Europe – by paying for gas the population was involved in “filling a gap” in the national budgets.
The cheapest gas is in the countries of the Customs Union. The cheapest natural gas now is in Kazakhstan – $0.07 per 1 cub.m., which 18 times less, than in Sweden. The leading world gas producing country Russia is on the 33rd place in the rating with the average gas price of $0.09 per cub.m., down 6.8 times against average European price. Right after Russia comes Belarus with $0.11 per 1 cub.m., according to RIA Rating. Low place of Belarus in the rating is connected with support of Russia, which exports gas to the republic at discounted rates.
Although Ukraine occupied the 31st place in the rating, it is close to the poor EU member-states, such as Hungary and Romania, in the absolute gas price.
Average Ukrainian citizen pays about $0.28 per 1 cub.m. of gas. A year ago Ukraine occupied the last but one place in the rating with $0.06.
However, gas price for the population was significantly reduced in Lithuania – by 19%, as well as in Hungary and Slovenia.
How much gas can people buy with average salary?
According to RIA Rating, Kazakh citizens could most of all gas – 8200 cub.m. of gas a month – for average net salary (after deduction of taxes and utility bills). Russia is on the third place after Luxembourg. Russian citizens could buy 5600 cub.m. of natural gas a month. Next to it in the rating are UK and Belgium.
The last in the list is Ukraine – 482 cub.m.. A year ago Ukraine with the index of 2200 cub.m. was on the 13rd place. Among the outsiders were Moldova, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Portugal, because of a low purchasing capacity.