Also more expensive in 2026

This is how much we have to “burn” in gas grid fees

It is no longer the gas itself but the network costs that drive up energy bills.(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger)

Anyone who heats or cooks with natural gas will have to dig deeper into their pockets again in 2026: Grid fees will rise by an average of 18.2 percent. Since 2024, the additional costs have already amounted to 38% or 137 euros per household, according to data from "durchblicker.at". You can only save money by switching to a cheaper gas supplier.

On January 1, 2026, the average grid fees for gas in Austria will rise again by 18.2 percent. Although this is a substantial increase, it is only a fraction of the total price increase over the last two years.

A recent analysis by the comparison portal "durchblicker.at" shows that the grid fees for gas have increased by an average of 38% since 2024, but by as much as 57% depending on the province.

Grid fees for electricity have developed similarly. Although they will fall in some federal states in 2026, they are still 25 percent higher across Austria than in 2024 - and have therefore risen significantly more than inflation.

Strong regional differences
The fact that grid fees are rising like this is mainly due to the success of the switch to "green" energy. It sounds strange, but the number of natural gas consumers has actually been falling for years. As a result, the costs of the gas network are divided between fewer customers and fewer sales volumes - which means that a larger share falls to each individual.

The "durchblicker" analysis therefore shows that price increases vary greatly from region to region, as the level of charges depends largely on the expansion and operation of the local network infrastructure (see list below). 

What we "burn"

• Households in Burgenland, for example, will pay EUR 207 (+ 53%) more for gas grid fees alone next year than in 2024.
• In Lower Austria, the cumulative additional costs amount to EUR 154 (+ 57 percent), in Vienna to EUR 147 (+ 34 percent) and in Styria to EUR 151 (+ 46 percent).
• Even at the lower end of the ranking, in Tyrol and Salzburg, the cumulative additional costs amount to between EUR 69 and 72.

Unlike gas grid fees, electricity grid fees will fall in some federal states in 2026 - for example in Vienna, Salzburg and Styria. However, at an average of EUR 4.28 per year, the annual savings are not just minimal, but actually turn out to be a price increase on closer inspection. In Vienna, electricity grid fees will still be 28% higher than in 2024, even after the upcoming price reduction of 2.6%.

Changing tariffs can save households hundreds of euros
Energy prices are made up of the energy price, grid fees and taxes and levies, with grid fees already accounting for a quarter of the electricity price and a fifth of the gas price. "Every household that uses electricity or gas has to pay grid fees. If these costs rise sharply, as they have in recent years, this will become an additional burden for many," says "durchblicker" energy expert Stefan Spiegelhofer.

The only way to counteract the cost trend is to switch to a cheaper gas or electricity provider. By switching electricity and gas tariffs, an Austrian household can save an average of 741 euros per year. The savings potential varies between the individual federal states and is around 354 euros in Tyrol and as much as 1142 euros in Styria.

Switching providers is free of charge, and the energy authority E-control (www.e-control.at) lists cheap providers. On switching portals such as durchblicker.at, consumers can also compare the current conditions of different energy providers and conclude a new contract with just a few clicks.