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The 10 Countries with the Most Expensive and Cheapest Electricity Tariffs in the World: Is Indonesia Among Them?

| Source: CNBC Translated from Indonesian | Energy
The 10 Countries with the Most Expensive and Cheapest Electricity Tariffs in the World: Is Indonesia Among Them?
Image: CNBC

Household electricity prices vary dramatically across the globe, driven by differences in energy policy, fuel availability, taxation, and infrastructure. According to data from GlobalPetrolPrices.com covering the 2023-2026 period, a vast gap exists between the nations with the most and least expensive tariffs.

Bermuda ranks as the country with the highest household electricity price, averaging US$0.466 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). In contrast, Iran offers the cheapest electricity in the world at just US$0.003 per kWh, meaning Bermudan households pay over 155 times more.

Europe dominates the list of the most expensive electricity markets, with Ireland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom all featuring in the top ten. High tariffs in these nations are not solely driven by fuel costs; household bills often include taxes, environmental levies, renewable energy surcharges, and grid maintenance fees.

Several island nations also face steep electricity costs. Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Barbados, and Cape Verde are among those with the highest prices, largely due to their dependence on imported fuels. High transportation costs, a limited customer base, and a lack of economies of scale make electricity generation significantly more expensive.

Conversely, energy-rich countries tend to have much lower tariffs. Alongside Iran, nations such as Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Angola, and Egypt record very low household electricity prices. Many of these states provide energy subsidies to their citizens, while major energy producers like Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria benefit from lower production costs thanks to abundant domestic supplies.

Indonesia does not appear in the top 25 most expensive or cheapest lists. However, the data underscores that energy subsidy policies and the availability of domestic resources remain the primary factors determining whether the public pays high or low electricity bills.

The 10 Countries with the Most Expensive Electricity Tariffs (US$/kWh):

  1. Bermuda - US$0.466

  2. Ireland - US$0.447

  3. Italy - US$0.415

  4. Cayman Islands - US$0.411

  5. Germany - US$0.406

  6. Belgium - US$0.404

  7. United Kingdom - US$0.404

  8. Liechtenstein - US$0.402

  9. Switzerland - US$0.366

  10. Denmark - US$0.361

The 10 Countries with the Cheapest Electricity Tariffs (US$/kWh):

  1. Iran - US$0.003

  2. Ethiopia - US$0.006

  3. Kyrgyzstan - US$0.014

  4. Iraq - US$0.015

  5. Sudan - US$0.015

  6. Cuba - US$0.015

  7. Bhutan - US$0.015

  8. Angola - US$0.016

  9. Zambia - US$0.023

  10. Egypt - US$0.024

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