Swedes Spend Rp31 Million a Year Just on Electricity and Gas
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Spending on electricity, gas, and heating is a major burden for households in a number of countries. This is most pronounced in Europe, which dominates the list of nations with the highest household energy bills in the world.
Sweden ranks first. Residents there spend an average of around Rp31 million per year solely on electricity, gas, and household energy needs. That figure is the highest in the world and cements Europe as the region with the heaviest energy burden.
Finland follows with spending of US$1,786 per person, while Austria is in third place at US$1,709 per person.
The ranking, published by Visual Capitalist, uses household energy expenditure data throughout 2025. The data covers costs for electricity, gas, heating, and other fuels used in the home. Spending on vehicle fuel and transport is not included in the calculation. The figures shown also represent spending per person, not the total bill paid by a single household.
The underlying data comes from the International Energy Agency’s Household Energy Expenditure Database. The pilot version of the database was last updated in June 2026 and uses energy prices and residential sector consumption to estimate each country’s expenditure.
Here is the list of 66 countries based on household energy spending per person:
Europe Dominates
As many as 24 of the 30 countries with the highest household energy spending are in Europe. This dominance is not solely due to expensive electricity or gas tariffs. Cold weather forces people to use large amounts of energy to heat their homes. Relatively high income levels also allow residents to have larger living spaces and use more electronic devices. At the same time, several European countries face high retail electricity and gas prices.
Even so, spending between European countries still varies considerably. The differences are influenced by climatic conditions, energy sources used, building efficiency, and government subsidies.
US Still Above US$1,000
The United States ranks 16th with spending of US$1,042 per person per year. The figure is lower than top European countries but far above most nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Canada, which has long winters, is in 22nd place. Its household energy spending is recorded at US$748 per person.
In Asia, Japan is one of the highest-ranked countries, sitting at 26th with spending of US$683. South Korea follows in 38th place at US$428, while Singapore is 41st at US$342. China spends only US$173 per person. The Philippines records US$160 and Vietnam US$95.
Low Bills Do Not Mean More Efficient
Bolivia is at the very bottom with spending of just US$25 per person. Algeria follows at US$29 and Egypt at US$35. However, low spending does not automatically indicate that energy use in these countries is more efficient. The small figures can also be caused by low income levels, smaller home sizes, warm climates, government subsidies, cheap energy prices, or still limited access to modern energy services.
Indonesia is not included in the list of 66 countries displayed. Therefore, the data cannot be used to conclude whether Indonesia’s household energy spending is higher or lower compared to other nations.