What heating and cooling really cost per year

Key rules

• Three drivers: Climate zone, heating system and insulation decide most of your yearly comfort cost.
• Heating vs cooling: For most households heating costs far more than air conditioning, except in the south and on the islands.
• Cheapest electric option: A heat pump costs about a third of electric radiators per unit of heat.
• Prices move: Fuel prices change often, so use current figures when you budget.

Efficiency figures are typical values and fuel prices change often, so check current prices with your energy retailer and the national energy regulator before budgeting.

The short answer

Your yearly comfort bill depends on three things: where the home is, what system heats it, and how well it holds heat. You can budget it yourself: estimate how much heat you need, divide by the system's efficiency, then multiply by the fuel price per kWh.

Climate zone sets how much you need

An average Spanish household uses roughly 10,000 kWh of energy a year. Heating is the biggest share, from around a third to over 40 percent. Air conditioning is only a few percent.

• Heating use is highest in the cold interior of the north and in the Atlantic and Cantabrian north.
• Heating use is lowest on the Mediterranean coast and in the Canary Islands.
• Air conditioning use is highest in the Mediterranean and the south, and in the Canaries and Balearics.

So in most of Spain you will spend more on heating than on cooling. Cooling matters mostly in the south and on the islands. Official survey tables give figures by zone and home type. Check the current figures with the national statistics office and the energy agency.

The system sets the cost of each unit of heat

The cost of a unit of heat is the fuel price divided by the system's efficiency. A heat pump delivers 3 to 4 units of heat for each unit of electricity. A radiator delivers 1.

Roughly, from cheapest to dearest per unit of heat: heat pump, firewood or pellets, natural gas, butane, then electric radiators. A heat pump costs about a third of what electric radiators do. An open fireplace wastes most of its heat, so it is a poor way to heat a home. Pellets and firewood are cheapest only if you buy in bulk. Real results vary with your tariff, fuel prices and home.

Fuel prices change

• Electricity is priced per kWh, plus a fixed power charge and taxes. The regulated PVPC tariff changes hourly with the wholesale market and has three time bands. Free-market tariffs offer fixed prices.
• Natural gas is priced per kWh with a fixed monthly term.
• Butane comes in 12.5 kg cylinders at a government-set price, revised every few months.
• Pellets come in 15 kg bags or by the tonne. Firewood is sold by the kilo or cubic metre. Both vary by region and season.

Electricity costs several times more per kWh than gas. That is why radiators are expensive to run and heat pumps are the best electric option. In the Canaries, Ceuta and Melilla, price arrangements differ.

Insulation changes the amount you need

A poorly insulated home with single glazing needs far more heat than a well insulated one, whatever the system. When viewing a home, ask for the energy certificate, look at the windows, and ask what the owner or previous tenant paid in winter.

How to build your budget

1. Find your zone's typical heating use per household from the official tables.
2. Adjust up for a poorly insulated or large home, and down for a well insulated one.
3. Divide by the system's efficiency from the table above.
4. Multiply by the current price per kWh of your fuel.
5. Add the fixed charges, such as the electricity power charge and the gas fixed term.

The FAQ below answers common comparisons between systems.

Frequently asked questions

How much cheaper is a heat pump than electric radiators?

A split heat pump costs about a third as much as electric radiators for the same heat. It turns each unit of electricity into roughly 3 to 4 units of heat, while a radiator gives 1. If you rent, a fixed split needs the landlord's written consent.

Which heating fuel is cheapest per unit of heat in Spain?

A heat pump is usually cheapest, then firewood or pellets, natural gas, butane and electric radiators last. Firewood and pellets are only cheap if you buy in bulk. Butane is often close to electric heat in cost.

Do I spend more on heating or on air conditioning?

Heating is usually the bigger bill: it takes about a third to over 40 percent of a typical household's energy, while air conditioning takes only a few percent. Cooling matters more in the Mediterranean, the south and the islands. Heating costs most in the cold interior and the north.

Is an open fireplace a cheap way to heat a home?

No, an open fireplace is a poor way to heat a home because only about 10 to 30 percent of the heat reaches the room. A wood stove gives about 65 to 80 percent and a pellet stove about 85 to 93 percent from the same fuel.