Switching in your current home
You have lived in your home for some time and would like to know whether your tariff still suits you. This is especially true if you are on basic supply or have received a price increase.
Electricity · Private households · As of October 2026
Electricity for your household: an informed choice
You need electricity every day – for light, the fridge, the washing machine and the internet. Your tariff helps decide what you pay for it each year. MitBlick Energie, the electricity and gas division of MB Finance, explains the most important terms and compares for you the tariffs of the suppliers MB Finance works with.
- Switching and moving in
- Unit price and standing charge
- Price guarantee and contract term
- Advice in German, Persian, English
Why it pays to look at your electricity tariff
The electricity price has three main parts: procurement and sales, network charges (Netzentgelte), and taxes, levies and surcharges. Network charges are the fees for using the power lines. The supplier only decides the first part itself. Even so, tariffs in the same place often differ clearly.
According to the BDEW electricity price analysis (as of August 2026), the average electricity price in 2026 for a household with an annual consumption of 3,500 kWh was 37.0 ct/kWh. This includes tariffs for new customers and basic supply (Grundversorgung). About 41% went on procurement and sales, 25% on network charges and 34% on taxes, levies and surcharges. The Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt) gives an average of 37.97 ct/kWh across all household contracts for the first half of 2026.
According to the BDEW, higher wholesale prices were not yet clearly visible in prices for new customers up to August 2026. How prices will develop further is open. Your own price also depends on where you live, the network area, your consumption and your tariff.
The figures given are average prices and not a promise for your tariff. There is no live tariff comparison on this website. You can get specific tariffs through “Request a quote” or in a consultation.
What to look for in a tariff
A low unit price alone says little. What matters is the whole package of price, guarantee and contract terms.
Points in favour of a tariff
- Unit price (Arbeitspreis): the price per kilowatt hour (ct/kWh). The more electricity you use, the more it matters.
- Standing charge (Grundpreis): a fixed amount per month or year that does not depend on consumption. If you use little electricity, it carries a lot of weight.
- Price guarantee (Preisgarantie): it applies at least as long as the first contract term.
- Contract term: the Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg recommends no more than 12 months.
- Monthly instalment (Abschlag): it matches your actual consumption. The instalment is a prepayment and not part of the price.
Be careful here
- Bonus: a new customer bonus usually only has an effect once. Also compare tariffs without the bonus and ask for the conditions in writing.
- Payment in advance (Vorauskasse): the consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale) advises against tariffs where you pay in advance.
- Limited price guarantee: check which price components the guarantee covers. Some guarantees do not apply, for example, to taxes, levies and surcharges.
- Instalment too low: it often leads to a back payment at the end of the billing year.
- Long commitment: a contract term of 24 months only helps if the price guarantee also lasts that long.
Typical household electricity consumption
You can find your consumption on your last annual bill. Without a bill, average values from the electricity benchmark (Stromspiegel) help.
| Household size | Flat (apartment building) | House (detached house) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 1,200 kWh | 1,800 kWh |
| 2 people | 1,900 kWh | 2,700 kWh |
| 3 people | 2,400 kWh | 3,500 kWh |
| 4 people | 2,600 kWh | 3,800 kWh |
| 5 people | 3,100 kWh | 4,500 kWh |
Average annual consumption without electric water heating, source: co2online/Stromspiegel (accessed October 2026). With an instantaneous water heater (Durchlauferhitzer), a heat pump or an electric car, consumption is much higher.
Who this page is right for
Moving into a new home
If you use electricity without having signed a contract, the local default supplier (Grundversorger) supplies you automatically. It is better to plan the new contract before you move in.
Low or high consumption
With low consumption, the standing charge matters more; with high consumption, the unit price matters more. That is why we calculate with your actual consumption.
Advice in your language
We explain your contract, bill and deadlines in German, Persian or English – by phone or on Microsoft Teams, anywhere in Germany.
Price changes and cancellation
If your supplier wants to change its prices, it must inform you as a household customer at least one month in advance. You can then cancel (kündigen) without notice with effect from the date on which the change takes effect (§ 41 Abs. 5 EnWG). A fee for this is not allowed.
For contracts signed from March 2022 onwards, the following applies: after an initial term (Erstlaufzeit) of no more than 24 months, you can cancel monthly. You can cancel basic supply at any time with two weeks' notice.
How it works with MB Finance
There is no live tariff comparison on this website. You can get specific tariffs through “Request a quote” or in a consultation.
- 01
Send a request
You contact us by phone, WhatsApp, email or through the request form. The consultation takes place by phone or on Microsoft Teams.
- 02
Check consumption and contract
We look at your annual consumption and your current contract: prices, contract term, notice period and price guarantee. The easiest way is a photo of your last annual bill.
- 03
Compare tariffs
We compare suitable tariffs from the suppliers MB Finance works with. We pay attention to the unit price, standing charge, contract term, price guarantee and bonus conditions.
- 04
Receive your quote as a PDF
You receive the quote as a PDF in German and, if you wish, also in Persian or English. This way you can read everything in your own time.
- 05
Sign the order
If you agree, you sign the order directly on the screen or through a link.
- 06
Switch without interruption
The new supplier usually cancels your old contract and registers you with the network operator (Netzbetreiber). Your electricity supply continues without interruption.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch electricity supplier at any time?
This depends on your contract. On basic supply, the notice period is two weeks. For other contracts, the contract term and notice period in the contract apply. If there is a price increase, you have a special termination right (Sonderkündigungsrecht).
Is there an interruption to the electricity supply when I switch?
No. The switch happens in the background through the network operator; the lines and the meter stay the same. If something goes wrong, the local default supplier continues to supply you. The switch itself costs you nothing.
What is the difference between the unit price and the standing charge?
The unit price is the price for each kilowatt hour you use. The standing charge is a fixed amount that you pay even if you use nothing. For a fair comparison, add both together: annual consumption times the unit price plus the standing charge for twelve months.
Does the website show specific tariffs and prices?
No, there is no live tariff comparison on the website yet. You can get specific tariffs through “Request a quote” or in a consultation. We compare the tariffs of the suppliers MB Finance works with, not all suppliers on the market.
Does the advice cost me anything?
No. You pay nothing extra for advice and arranging the contract. If a contract is signed, MB Finance receives a commission from the supplier.
How high should my monthly instalment be?
The instalment should match your expected annual consumption. An instalment that is too low usually leads to a back payment; one that is too high ties up money unnecessarily. But do not compare tariffs by the instalment – compare them by the unit price and standing charge.
Related topics
Understanding your bill
How to read your electricity and gas bill: unit price, standing charge, monthly instalments, 2026 price components, mandatory details and what to do about errors.
Learn moreTerm, price guarantee & bonus
How to read electricity and gas contracts: contract term, notice period, cancellation button, withdrawal, bonus and price guarantee, with an offer checklist.
Learn morePrice increases & cancelling
Electricity or gas price increase? How to check the letter, use your special termination right under § 41 EnWG and switch in time without a gap in supply.
Learn moreSaving electricity
Where your household electricity goes, what stand-by costs and how to save when cooling, washing and cooking. With benchmark figures from the Stromspiegel.
Learn moreElectricity consumption calculator
How much electricity does a household like yours use? The calculator shows the average consumption according to the Stromspiegel (electricity consumption benchmark) and places your own annual consumption in classes A to G.
Open the calculatorInstalment & back payment calculator
Are you paying a high enough monthly instalment (Abschlag)? Enter two meter readings with their dates. The calculator projects your consumption over a year and shows the right instalment as well as a possible back payment (Nachzahlung) or credit (Guthaben).
Open the calculatorSources
- BDEW: Electricity price analysis August 2026
- Statistisches Bundesamt: Electricity and gas prices for households in the first half of 2026 (press release No. 345 of 30 September 2026)
- co2online: Calculating electricity consumption (Stromspiegel values)
- Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg: Electricity and gas – how to switch supplier
- Gesetze im Internet: § 41 EnWG (energy supply contracts with final consumers)
- Bundesnetzagentur: Changing supplier
Get personal advice
Call us, send us a message on WhatsApp or by email, or request a quote directly. We give advice by phone or Microsoft Teams – in German, Persian and English.