In comparison to the European Union countries' average, Turkey had the most affordable electricity and natural gas prices in the first half of this year, official data showed yesterday.

The average price per 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of natural gas in EU countries in the first half of this year was 5.91 euros ($6.67), compared to 2.16 euros paid for the same amount of gas in Turkey, according to the data compiled from the European Statistical Office (Eurostat).

In the same period in Europe, Sweden had the most expensive natural gas price for household usage at 11.3 euros per 100 kWh, followed by Denmark at 8.98 euros, the Netherlands at 8.15 euros, Portugal at 7.59 euros and Italy at 7.14 euros.

For this amount of natural gas, Germany, France, Britain and Spain, the EU's four major economies, must pay 6.08 euros, 6.65 euros, 4.62 euros and 6.65 euros, respectively.

In this period, the most affordable natural gas consumption among EU member countries was in Romania where the average natural gas price for households was 3.21 euros per 100 kWh. In the case of affordable natural gas, Romania is followed by Hungary at 3.58 euros, Croatia at 3.68 euros, Bulgaria at 3.79 euros and Latvia at 3.85 euros.

Thus, the average natural gas price for households per 100 kWh in Turkey is at a lower level than in the 28 EU member states.

Similarly, electricity in Turkey is consumed at a more affordable price than 28 EU members. According to the data, the average electricity price for households per 100 kWh stood at 9.04 euros in the first half of this year, meaning that Turkey stands out as the most affordable country in electricity consumption among EU members in the first half of this year.

For this amount of electricity, an average of 20.49 euros is paid in the EU. Among EU members, the most affordable electricity is sold in Bulgaria at 9.79 euros per 100 kWh, closely followed by Lithuania at 10.97 euros, Hungary at 11.23 euros, Malta at 12.85 euros and Croatia at 13.11 euros.

Among the EU member states, the most expensive electricity is consumed in Denmark where the average electricity price for households per 100 kWh is 31.26 euros, followed by Germany at 29.5 euros for the same amount of electricity, Belgium at 27.33 euros, Spain at 23.83 euros and Ireland at 23.69 euros.

Accordingly, it is safe to say that natural gas and electricity prices in Turkey are far below the EU average.