Energy bill determined by where you live; Northern provinces pay most
Households in the northern Netherlands faced higher heating costs this January than those in the south, according to comparison site Independer. A home in Nieuw-Beerta, Groningen, with a central heating system and energy label A spent 34 euros more than a similar household in Vlissingen, Zeeland. For homes with energy label G, the difference approached 128 euros. Households with energy label C and central heating paid about 60 euros more than southern counterparts.
Independer focused on Nieuw-Beerta and Vlissingen because last month these towns had the largest temperature gap—0.7 degrees Celsius in the north versus 4.2 in the south. Heat pumps and hybrid systems also showed regional differences, ranging from 23 euros (energy label A) to nearly 41 euros (label C). Heat pumps with energy label G were excluded due to rarity. Labels B, D, E, and F fall between A and G, while homes rated above A (A+ to A++++) had lower bills.
Hybrid heat pumps were particularly affected by winter cold. “A hybrid heat pump relies mainly on electricity in mild weather and switches to gas when it’s cold,” Independer said. “This does not mean they perform worse in colder regions; they save more in warmer areas.”
Daily cost differences could be large. On January 18, Hoogeveen in Drenthe was 1.3 degrees Celsius, while Westdorpe in Zeeland reached 11.8 degrees, creating daily gaps above 12 euros. Between Nieuw-Beerta and Hoogeveen, the maximum daily difference was just over 4 euros for homes with label G.
Amara Onwuka of Buienrader explained to RTL Z: “Cold air from northeastern Europe meets warm air from the south trying to enter the country.”
Calculations assumed a 120-square-meter home with heating from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., a target indoor temperature of 19 degrees, gas at 1.25 euros per cubic meter, and electricity at 0.25 cents per kilowatt-hour. Temperature data came from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Actual bills can vary depending on building characteristics, system settings, and resident behavior.
