Flat with a gas boiler
You have gas heating for your own flat (Gasetagenheizung), your own gas meter and your own contract. Then you can choose the supplier yourself.
Gas · Private households · As of October 2026
Gas for heating and hot water: clearly compared
Many households heat with gas and use it to heat their water. Because annual consumption is often in five figures, even a small difference in the unit price (Arbeitspreis) makes a big difference. Here you can find out how the gas price is made up in 2026, how to read your bill and how MB Finance supports you when you switch tariff.
- Heating and hot water
- kWh instead of m³
- CO2 price 2026
- Gas storage levy abolished
Why your gas tariff matters
Gas is billed in kilowatt hours (kWh). In its gas price analysis, the energy industry association BDEW calculates with 20,000 kWh a year for a detached house. With this amount, even a difference of 1 ct/kWh means about €200 a year.
According to the BDEW (as of August 2026), the average gas price in 2026 was 11.93 ct/kWh for a detached house and 11.17 ct/kWh for a flat in an apartment building. The Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt) gives an average of 11.58 ct/kWh for private households in the first half of 2026. That was 5.3% less than in the second half of 2025, partly because the gas storage levy (Gasspeicherumlage) was abolished.
These figures are averages. Your price depends on the network area, your consumption and your tariff.
The figures given are 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 makes up the gas price
The supplier only decides part of the price itself. The rest is network charges (Netzentgelte), taxes and levies.
| Component | What it means | As of 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Procurement and sales | Buying the gas and the supplier's costs. The supplier decides this part itself. | about 48% of the price |
| Network charges and metering | Costs for transport in the gas network and for the meter. The network operator (Netzbetreiber) sets them. | about 21.5% |
| Taxes, levies and surcharges | Energy tax (Energiesteuer), concession fee (Konzessionsabgabe), CO2 price and VAT. | about 30% |
| of which CO2 price | Surcharge on fossil natural gas under the Fuel Emissions Trading Act (Brennstoffemissionshandelsgesetz, BEHG). | Price range €55 to €65 per tonne of CO2 |
| of which VAT | Charged on the total amount of the bill. | 19% |
| Gas storage levy | Levy for filling the gas storage facilities. | abolished since 1 January 2026 |
Shares based on the BDEW gas price analysis (as of August 2026) for a detached house with an annual consumption of 20,000 kWh. CO2 price according to the German Emissions Trading Authority (DEHSt).
kWh or m³: how to read your gas bill
Your gas meter measures the volume in cubic metres (m³). But you are billed for the energy content in kilowatt hours. The formula is: cubic metres × conversion factor × calorific value = kilowatt hours.
The calorific value (Brennwert) shows how much energy there is in one cubic metre of gas. The conversion factor (Zustandszahl) takes the temperature and air pressure at your location into account. Both values are on your gas bill. As a rough rule of thumb, 1 m³ of natural gas equals about 10 kWh.
For a tariff comparison, you always need your consumption in kWh. Switching supplier does not change the calorific value or the conversion factor, because they depend on the gas network.
Example with assumed values: 1,500 m³ × 0.95 × 11.2 kWh/m³ = 15,960 kWh.
What to look for in a gas tariff
With gas, the unit price is especially important because the amounts are large. Even so, the whole package counts.
Points in favour of a tariff
- Unit price: it makes up the largest part of your costs. Multiply it by your annual consumption in kWh.
- Standing charge (Grundpreis): you pay it every month, even in summer when you hardly heat.
- Price guarantee (Preisgarantie): it applies at least for the first contract term and covers as many price components as possible.
- Monthly instalment (Abschlag): it is spread over the whole year and matches your actual consumption.
Be careful here
- CO2 price: check whether a price guarantee also covers changes in the CO2 price and in taxes. How the CO2 price will develop after 2026 is still open.
- Bonus: a new customer bonus usually only has an effect once. Also compare the costs without the bonus.
- Payment in advance (Vorauskasse): tariffs where you pay a long time in advance carry a risk if the supplier fails.
- Instalment too low: otherwise you may face a large back payment after a cold winter.
Who this page is right for
House with gas heating
With high annual consumption, the unit price matters most. A suitable price guarantee gives you planning security.
Tenants with central heating
If the heating is run centrally by the landlord, you usually do not have your own gas contract. The costs then come through the heating cost statement (Heizkostenabrechnung). In this case, you cannot switch yourself.
Households on basic supply
If you have never switched, you are often with the local default supplier (Grundversorger). A comparison shows whether another tariff suits you better.
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 gas consumption in kWh 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 gas tariffs from the suppliers MB Finance works with – looking at the unit price, standing charge, contract term and price guarantee.
- 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.
- 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. Your heating stays warm during this time.
Frequently asked questions
Has the gas storage levy really been abolished?
Yes. Since 1 January 2026, gas customers no longer pay a gas storage levy. Most recently it was 0.289 ct/kWh; with 20,000 kWh a year, that is about €58. Suppliers must pass on the reduction automatically. It does not give you a special termination right (Sonderkündigungsrecht).
How high is the CO2 price in 2026?
For fuels such as natural gas, the CO2 price in 2026 is within a legal price range of €55 to €65 per tonne of CO2. The certificates are auctioned within this range. Converted to the kilowatt hours on your gas bill, this is about 1.0 to 1.2 ct per kWh without VAT, or about 1.2 to 1.4 ct with VAT.
Which VAT rate applies to gas?
The standard VAT rate of 19% applies to gas. It is charged on the total amount of the bill, which includes network charges and the CO2 price.
Can I switch gas supplier as a tenant?
Yes, if you have your own gas meter and your own supply contract, for example with a gas boiler in your flat. With central heating, the landlord usually signs the contract. In that case, you cannot switch yourself.
Does someone need to come to my heating system for the switch?
No. The switch happens in the background through the network operator. Your gas connection, meter and heating stay the same. The only important thing is the meter reading on the day of the switch.
Related topics
Saving on heating
Room temperature, airing, thermostats and hydraulic balancing: how to reduce your gas use. With values from the Heizspiegel and the CO2 price for 2026.
Learn moreBasic supply
What default and substitute supply for electricity and gas mean, why they often cost more, which deadlines apply and how to switch to a suitable tariff.
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 moreGas consumption calculator
How much gas does a flat or house of your size need? The calculator estimates the annual consumption using the values of the Heizspiegel 2026 (heating benchmark) and assesses your own consumption.
Open the calculatorGas: m³ to kWh
Your gas meter measures cubic metres, but your bill is calculated in kilowatt hours. With the calorific value (Brennwert) and conversion factor (Zustandszahl) from your bill, you can convert the consumption yourself.
Open the calculatorSources
- BDEW: Gas 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)
- Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen: Gas storage levy abolished in 2026
- Deutsche Emissionshandelsstelle (DEHSt): Sale and trading of national emission certificates
- Gesetze im Internet: § 12 UStG (tax rates)
- Stadtwerke Bochum: Converting gas consumption from cubic metres into kilowatt hours
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.