Household energy bills: what renters pay for
Two bills, no switching. How electricity and heating work for renters in Switzerland, and why 2027 is a little cheaper.
As a renter you pay for energy in two ways: an electricity bill from your local electricity company, and heating plus hot water through your landlord, as an extra on top of your rent.
Figures checked 10 November 2026.
The two bills
| Electricity | Heating and hot water | |
|---|---|---|
| Who bills you | Your local electricity company | Your landlord, as "Nebenkosten" (extra costs) |
| Can you switch provider? | No, it's set by your address | No, it's the building's system |
| How you pay | A bill from the electricity company | A fixed monthly amount with your rent |
| Typical cost | CHF 1,194 a year for a typical household (profile H4, 4,500 kWh) in 2027 (ElCom) | Depends on the building; check your lease |
Source: ElCom: slightly lower electricity prices in 2027 (German), 8 September 2026. Checked 10 November 2026.
Electricity
- It's a regulated local monopoly, not a market. Your local grid operator (about 580 grid operators across Switzerland) sets your price once a year, for the calendar year. It must be based on what the power costs the operator to produce or buy, plus a regulated profit (ElCom).
Source: ElCom: slightly lower electricity prices in 2027 (German), 8 September 2026. Checked 10 November 2026.
- You can't choose your supplier. Only customers using more than 100 MWh a year can shop around, so every household gets the supplier for its address (ElCom).
Source: ElCom: basic supply and free market. Checked 10 November 2026.
- The state watches, but doesn't set the price. The federal regulator ElCom doesn't approve tariffs in advance. It can block unjustified rises and cut prices that are too high, even after the fact (ElCom).
- Prices differ by commune because each operator buys or generates its power differently. Look up yours: strompreis.elcom.admin.ch
- In 2027 a typical household pays 26.5 Rappen per kWh, and the yearly bill is CHF 53 lower than 2026 (ElCom).
Source: ElCom: slightly lower electricity prices in 2027 (German), 8 September 2026. Checked 10 November 2026.
Why 2027 is cheaper: many operators are coming off especially expensive power-buying contracts that are now expiring, so the energy part of the price falls about 6%, from 12.11 to 11.35 Rp./kWh. Two federal charges also fall: the strategic power reserve and the national grid (Swissgrid) fee. Local grid costs still rise (about 2%, from 10.73 to 10.94 Rp./kWh), which takes back part of the saving (ElCom, 8 Sep 2026).
Source: ElCom: slightly lower electricity prices in 2027 (German), 8 September 2026. Checked 10 November 2026.
Watch for later years: ElCom says the wholesale price spike after March 2026 has barely reached 2027 tariffs and will likely show up in later years.
Heating and hot water
- Your landlord can only charge extra costs that are listed in your lease (Federal Housing Office).
- Most leases work the same way: you pay a fixed advance every month, and once a year you get a statement of what heating really cost. You then pay the difference or get money back. For heating, the billing year usually runs July to June (Federal Housing Office).
Source: Federal Housing Office (BWO): housing and energy shortage (German). Checked 10 November 2026.
- If the monthly advance was set too low, you generally owe the full shortfall, so a big statement can come as a surprise. Either side can ask to adjust the advance when costs change (Federal Housing Office).
- You have the right to see the invoices behind the statement. Ask for them if anything looks high, and compare with last year's statement (Art. 257b para. 2, Code of Obligations).
The key difference from the UK
In the UK you shop around for energy; in Switzerland you can't. A UK renter who pays the bills can switch supplier or tariff at any time (Ofgem). In Switzerland your electricity company is fixed by your address, and your landlord controls heating.
So in Switzerland your only levers are using less energy and checking the yearly heating statement.
Sources
On your plan
Record the apartment's condition when you move in
A signed report is your record for the day you leave.
Check your budget before you sign
Rent, insurance, childcare and tax, before you accept.
Read next
settlein is a guidance tool, not a lawyer, tax adviser, insurer or public office. Where we have not verified a figure against an official source, we leave it blank.