Gas is more accessible to Russians than to residents of Sweden, but there are nuances

In the ranking of European countries by availability of natural gas for the population in 2024, Russia took second place. Citizens of our country can buy 9.6 thousand cubic meters of "blue fuel" for their average monthly salary. Kazakhstan is in the lead (with an indicator of more than 10 thousand cubic meters), the western part of whose territory geographically belongs to Europe. Salaries here are relatively low, but gas prices are the lowest of all those included in the ranking.

The top five also includes Belarus, Luxembourg and the UK. Their residents can purchase more than 4 thousand cubic meters of gas. Moldova is at the bottom of the list (739 cubic meters), and Portugal, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Latvia are also among the outsiders, according to a study by RIA Novosti.

The most expensive gas is in Sweden: converted into Russian currency, a cubic meter costs local consumers 191 rubles. The Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and France are next in terms of cost (more than 129 rubles per cubic meter). These countries are essentially separated from Kazakhstan (5.4 rubles), Russia (8.1 rubles) and Belarus (10.2 rubles) by an abyss. As analysts note, throughout 2024, gas prices in Europe have been growing almost continuously, averaging $390.3 per thousand cubic meters. That is, 15% less than in 2023. This is due to lower demand, since European storage facilities were filled to a record level of 59% for that heating season.

A fundamentally important point: the availability of gas is determined not so much by the price as by the level of income of consumers. In addition, the figures given in the rating have a high degree of averaging.

– There are questions about the rating, or rather, about the methodology of the compilers. Yes, the basic parameters are generally maintained: this is an assessment of the cost of gas and household income, – Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, says in an interview with MK. – But the fact is that the rating indicates prices on the spot market. Whereas within each country, gas is sold according to other principles and criteria, that is, the picture is much more complicated: in retail, directly for the population, gas may cost more, taking into account the cost of delivery, the financial requests of sales companies that enter into contracts with households.

As for Russia, it is now 2025, when the ruble has strengthened to 80 per "American", which means that in dollar terms, gas has become more expensive here. Accordingly, our place in the rating looks outdated today: by the end of the year, it should be lower. In general, with last year's exchange rate of 90-100 rubles, gas was more accessible for Russians in dollar terms: it is sold to the population at ruble prices, and the cost of gas in European countries is compared through the dollar.

– Is it possible to put Belarus, where Russia supplies gas at a preferential price, on the same level as, for example, Italy?

– Indeed, there is strict regulation in Belarus: the authorities there make sure that gas tariffs do not rise too high, secondly, Russian gas is purchased at a fixed price – approximately $129 per thousand cubic meters. But, again, prices are recalculated inside the country: for industry they become higher, for the population – lower. In general, those European countries to which we supply pipeline gas at a discount have clear competitive advantages over their neighbors on the continent. First of all, these are Hungary, Slovakia and, if I am not mistaken, Romania. Which, incidentally, has its own production.

By the way, Moldova's last place in the rating also raises doubts. Yes, statistically the country is very poor, but on the other hand, according to international institutions, including the IMF, there are a lot of cash dollars in circulation there. And I do not rule out that in reality gas in Moldova may be more accessible to the population than we see in the statistical calculations.

- What can you say about Russia's second place in the rating, given the territorial unevenness of gas supply? There are remote areas where gas has not yet been supplied...

- Well, yes, the country is huge, and prices, accordingly, vary by region. The lowest tariff is in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, but not all of its residents have access to pipeline gas. That is, the specificity lies in the low percentage of gasification, in poor physical accessibility. On the contrary, there are highly gasified regions, in particular, the Kaliningrad Region, but gas there is expensive by Russian standards. The problem is that prices are constantly rising on average across the country. Meanwhile, gas is perceived by people as an element of social justice, because Russia is one of the world leaders in reserves, and this is supposedly a guarantee of cheapness. Citizens may ask a completely reasonable question: where do such prices come from, on what basis?

And, of course, all the territories beyond the Urals, in Eastern Siberia, are not gasified, right up to the Far East. The process is extremely slow and local. For example, in the Far East, gasification is carried out along the "Power of Siberia", but still, it is initially an export gas pipeline. Sakhalin Oblast and Khabarovsk Krai are gasified quite well. The northern regions cannot boast of this: the further north, the worse the situation. Only now is construction of a pipeline to Murmansk Oblast beginning.

– What are the main difficulties for private Russian consumers that you would note?

– The main problem is again related to the physical availability of connection to pipeline gas and the cost of this connection. As part of the social gasification program, the state takes on part of the costs, but the rest is usually too much for people. Let's say a person needs to run a pipe inside a summer cottage, bring it into the house, install a meter there and distribute gas to the rooms. All this will cost a pretty penny. The same floor-standing boilers (for heating) have become much more expensive in recent years, and now they can be bought for about 100 thousand rubles. The price of wall-mounted boilers, which more often require maintenance, varies from 30 thousand to 50 thousand rubles and higher. When gas pipes come to the surface and enter the house, you have to pay for each bend. It is imperative to install a gas analyzer to ensure safety.

In private homes, people connect gas mainly for heating (not for cooking on the stove) to make their home suitable for year-round living. This means that the final price consists of many additional parameters.