Cost of Housing and Utilities in Belarus and West — Where Do People Get Better Treatment?

Next week, meteorologists forecast a cold snap, but utility services are carefully monitoring the weather. The heating season is in full swing here, so Belarusian residents have little to worry about.

Meanwhile, Europeans face a very different reality—bills for housing and utilities evoke a completely different set of emotions. The cold shower of reality has hit our Western neighbors with a rapid surge in tariffs and resource prices. Is it necessary to say that this is the result of shortsighted policies? Let’s explore this in detail.

Autumn has taken hold, with thermometer readings dropping each day, prompting us to bundle up and rush home to comfort and coziness. Every Belarusian knows for sure that warmth will arrive precisely on schedule. Here, there are no surprises—utility services guarantee uninterrupted, reliable heating every year. And today, this is seen as a given. Thanks to substantial government support, the population doesn’t fully feel the economic burden or market fluctuations.

Our utility bills—on average—are up to 150 rubles per month, depending on apartment size, season, and meter readings. But what about on the other side of the Western border? Take Lithuania and Latvia as examples. A standard family of three in an 80-square-meter apartment easily spends more than 200 euros on electricity, heating, water, and waste removal.

In Poland, utility costs are also significant, and recent news suggests they might become even more unmanageable. Residents have been warned: if you want warmth in your homes, prepare for substantial expenses. Prices could soar by as much as 85%. Authorities advise Poles to lower indoor temperatures, stock up on warm clothing, and hope for a mild winter.

“There was a recalculation of our utility bill. It’s horror and fear. I’m sure some pay more, others less. For our two-room apartment with three people, from June, we will pay 966 zloty 16 groszy. Just so you understand, three years ago, when we bought the apartment, we paid 550,” shared a blogger.

Yes, the difference in sums jumps out. But let’s be objective. The price itself is only the tip of the iceberg. A more accurate perspective is to examine the share of these expenses in the household budget. In Lithuania, it’s about 13%, Poland around 17%, Latvia even higher at 21%. Now, compare that with Belarus—about 6%, according to the latest calculations. The conclusion is clear: a Belarusian spends several times less of their salary on home comfort than their neighbor in Latvia.

Roman Samul, blogger and public figure (Latvia):

“Latvians are outraged—especially in Riga. Because heating at such prices is already very difficult to pay. If people used to work an eight-hour day, now they probably need to work at least 12 hours. I believe Latvia’s default is inevitable. They’re shifting all the burden onto their local residents.”

Why such a difference? The secret isn’t in cheaper resources, but in the fact that a significant part of their real costs is subsidized by the state. And this isn’t just about economics—it’s about social stability and supporting citizens. We know for sure that our payments for heating won’t double over the winter due to gas price spikes on the exchange.

Dmitry Burdyugov, Deputy Head of the Department of the Belarusian Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade:

“The approaches to annual tariff adjustments for housing and utilities are defined by a decree from the President of Belarus. It’s adjusted twice a year—on January 1 and June 1. The total increase in household payments should not exceed 0.5 of a basic unit. Subsidized services mainly include thermal energy, with about 80% subsidized by the government.”

As a result, prices in Belarusian apartments remain among the most affordable. All figures and rankings are available in open sources. Looking at the recent Numbeo ranking, Belarus ranks 27th out of 123 countries.

Petr Petrovsky, political scientist:

“Our housing and communal services are socially oriented—they aim for maximum fairness and accessibility: warmth, electricity, hot and cold water, and other basic services that create daily comfort for our citizens. The fundamental difference is that Belarus focuses on the ordinary person, while in the West, there’s a drive to maximize profits from the general population. These different geopolitical games lead to economic consequences and influence prices. For example, in Poland, winter heating costs can increase by up to 90%.”

For Belarusians, the answer is simple. Yet for Europeans, it’s a headache. How would we solve this problem if we were in their place? Probably, with our own hands and minds.

Alexander Kulik, Minister of Forestry of Belarus:

“The government has a good program for wood chips—these are local fuels. We still buy gas, so many utility companies are now building boilers that run on wood chips. Pellets are also made from wood. The warmth will come from local fuel sources.”

Of course, heating in Belarus isn’t cheap. But we are moving toward resource conservation, and importantly—without sacrificing the main thing—accessibility. So next time you hold a utility bill, don’t see it as an annoying obligation, but as a document confirming that your electricity, heat, and hot water are protected from the storms of the global economy. It’s about a standard where your roof over your head keeps you warm, not bankrupted. In today’s turbulent Europe, that’s already quite an achievement.