Dutch households are paying far more for gas than their neighbours, with annual bills averaging €1,801, according to new figures from the European Household Energy Price Index (HEPI).

That is almost €750 more than in Germany and around €450 higher than in Belgium, comparison site Energievergelijk.nl said. The main reason is the high level of tax on gas, which makes up nearly two thirds of the price in the Netherlands.

In Germany the average household bill for 1,020 cubic metres of gas is €1,080. In Belgium it is €1,350 and in France €1,291. Households in eastern Europe pay much less, with annual bills under €900 in Poland and the Czech Republic. In Montenegro, Serbia and Hungary, costs are just a fraction of Dutch levels.

Of the 33 European countries in the comparison, only Sweden is more expensive, though its gas market is very small and largely confined to Stockholm. Adjusted for purchasing power, the Netherlands ranks third behind Portugal and Sweden.

Energy expert Koen Kuijper said households with poor insulation or higher gas consumption are hit hardest by the Dutch tax system. “It is logical that those who use more energy pay more tax, but in the Netherlands gas is excessively taxed compared with electricity,” he said. “For people on lower incomes, including many tenants, going fully off gas is often not an option. Yet they pay the most tax.”

The differences within the Netherlands are also stark. A recent report by consultancy Berenschot found households in the northern provinces and Limburg face much higher energy bills than those in the Randstad.

Dutch households using both gas and electricity at an average level already pay €639 a year in taxes. For larger homes or poorly insulated properties, the figure can rise to more than €2,600. By contrast, households that run only on electricity pay far less tax – around €209 at a net usage of 5,000 kWh a year.

Energy prices and taxes are expected to be a major issue in the run-up to the general election at the end of October.