Dutch Homes Are the Coldest in Europe: New Survey Data

If you’ve been shivering in your apartment this winter, huddled under three blankets while wondering if your heating is broken, we have some validating news for you. It’s not just you.

New data reveals that homes in the Netherlands are officially the coldest in Europe.

While our neighbors in Germany and Denmark are enjoying toasty living rooms, many of us in the Low Countries are treating the thermostat like it’s a forbidden artifact. Let’s look at why Dutch homes are so cold, how we compare to the rest of the EU, and the rising costs behind the chill.

The Cold Hard Numbers

Smart heating provider tado° recently surveyed 685,000 houses across the EU between November 2025 and January 2026. Their findings confirm what every expat has suspected during their first Dutch winter: it really is colder inside here.

The average thermostat setting in Dutch homes is just 16.57 degrees Celsius.

Let that sink in. That is the average. That means plenty of people are setting it even lower. This figure makes the Netherlands the undisputed leader in keeping things chilly. By comparison, look at our neighbors:

Germany: 18.92 degrees Celsius
Denmark: 19.77 degrees Celsius

The difference of two or three degrees might sound small on paper, but in your living room, it’s the difference between wearing a light sweater and wearing your entire winter wardrobe while watching Netflix.

Waiting Game: When Do We Turn It On?

It’s not just about how low we set the dial; it’s about how long we wait to touch it at all. The survey found a massive difference in behavior based on outside temperatures.

In Italy, residents tend to switch on the heating once the temperature outside drops below 15.96 degrees Celsius. That sounds pretty reasonable, right?

In the Netherlands, we play a game of endurance. People generally wait until the outside temperature drops to 11.83 degrees Celsius before caving in and turning on the heat. That is a significant gap in comfort.

Why Are We Freezing Ourselves?

Is it just a cultural preference for the cold? Unlikely. While the Dutch are known for being pragmatic, this extreme frugality is primarily driven by necessity and soaring costs.

The European Consumer Justice Foundation reports that households across Europe have recently faced massive increases in energy costs. This directly impacts the ability to pay for heating. When the bill arrives, keeping the house at 19 degrees suddenly feels like a luxury many can’t afford.

Read Also: 10 Words to Use During the Dutch Winter

The Rise of Energy Poverty

This isn’t just about saving a few euros for a vacation. For many, it is a serious financial struggle.

In 2024, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) found that approximately one million households were at risk of energy poverty. This risk stems from a dangerous combination of:

Low-to-medium incomes
Sky-high energy costs
Energy-inefficient homes

That last point is crucial. You can set your thermostat low to save money, but if your home leaks heat because of poor insulation—a common issue in older Dutch housing stock—you are fighting a losing battle. You pay more to feel colder.

The Legal Battle for Fair Prices

If you feel like your energy contract has been unfair recently, you might be right. A major legal storm is currently brewing over energy prices.

Several major providers, including Vattenfall, Eneco, Essent, and Energiedirect, have received legal summons regarding unfair trade practices in variable energy contracts affecting millions of Dutch customers.

While the outcome of this legal action isn’t known yet, it highlights the frustration many consumers feel. We are paying record prices, often on variable contracts that seem to only vary upward, forcing us to turn the dial down to 16.57 degrees just to keep the monthly budget in check.

What Can You Do?

So, you are stuck in the coldest homes in Europe during a time of high prices. It’s not ideal, but you do have options beyond just wearing a hat indoors.

Check your insulation: Even small fixes like draft strips on doors or radiator foil can make a 16-degree room feel slightly more bearable.
Monitor the legal news: Keep an eye on the lawsuits against energy providers. Depending on the outcome, there could be compensation or changes to contract structures in the future.
Review your contract: Loyalty rarely pays off with utility companies. If you are on a variable contract that feels exploitative, compare rates. Prices fluctuate, and locking in a fixed rate might offer peace of mind, even if it’s not as cheap as pre-crisis levels.

For now, keep those wool socks handy. The data says we’re all in this cold snap together. If you’re unsure whether your current energy contract still makes sense, comparing options can be a useful first step to not find yourself in one of the coldest homes in Europe. Services like Utility Direct allow you to check current fixed and variable offers across providers, without committing to a switch.