The Bank of Spain has warned that the price of natural gas has seen a significant increase in European markets during 2016 as a consequence of instability in the Middle East. This price hike has significantly impacted wholesale electricity prices in Spain during the summer months and has also affected the price of butane gas cylinders. Worse still, the warning indicates that prices will continue to rise.
Since September 20th, 2022, a 12.5-kilo butane cylinder hasn’t been this expensive. The price increase has been constant for the past year, and apart from the drop in May due to an energy decree, the price has risen from €15.46 to over €16, then €17, and now almost €19. In fact, on Tuesday, September 15th, it reached almost its maximum possible increase, rising by 4.96%, with the government-set limit at 5%.
Thus, from mid-September to mid-November, the new price of a butane gas cylinder was €18.84. It’s worth noting that price reviews are conducted every two months and are limited to 5% both increases and decreases.
Evolution of the price of a butane gas cylinder:
- September 15, 2026: 18.84€
- July 21, 2026: 17.83€
- May 20, 2026: 15.39€
- March 17, 2026: 16.36€
- January 20, 2026: 15.58€
- November 20, 2025: 15.46€
- September 16, 2025: 16.27€
- July 15, 2025: 17.11€
- May 20, 2025: 18.00€
- March 18, 2025: 17.67€
- January 20, 2025: 16.64€
- November 18, 2024: 16.61€
- September 17, 2024: 15.93€
- July 18, 2024: 15.34€
- May 21, 2024: 16.14€
- March 19, 2024: 16.67€
- January 16, 2024: 15.89€
- September 19, 2023: 14.43€
- July 18, 2023: 15.18€
- January 17, 2023: 17.67€
- November 15, 2022: 18.59€
- September 20, 2022: 19.55€
- July 19, 2022: 19.55€
- May 17, 2022: 19.55€
- March 15, 2022: 18.63€
- January 18, 2022: 17.76€
- November 16, 2021: 16.92€
- September 21, 2021: 16.13€
- July 20, 2021: 15.37€
- March 16, 2021: 13.96€
- January 19, 2021: 13.30€
- November 17, 2020: 12.69€
- September 15, 2020: 12.09€
- July 21, 2020: 12.72€
- January 21, 2020: 13.37€
This increase in the latest update includes the one-off reduction of the Hydrocarbons Tax set by Royal Decree-Law 18/2026 from September 1, equivalent to 11.25€ per tonne.
When calculating the final price, factors such as the cost of raw materials propane and butane on international markets, as well as freight costs and the euro-dollar exchange rate, come into play. This time, in addition to the fiscal adjustment, there is the increased cost of raw materials (+8.24%), a rise in maritime transport rates (+10.27%), and the strengthening of the euro against the US dollar (+7.1%), as representatives of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge explained to Europa Press.
The maximum price for bottled liquefied petroleum gas sold in 8 to 20 kilo formats—like the classic butane cylinder—remains regulated. Its price is reassessed every two months on the third Tuesday of the month by a resolution from the Directorate General for Energy Policy and Mines, following the calculation established by Order IET/389/2015.
This periodic adjustment takes into account the price of propane and butane on the global market, freight costs and fluctuations in the euro-dollar exchange rate, along with variables such as the commercial margin and the contribution to the National Energy Efficiency Fund.
Looking ahead to the end of the year, the Bank of Spain warns that futures market prices indicate that prices will remain high, which will also affect the price of butane gas cylinders. For the fourth quarter of the year, futures markets anticipate continued high prices for both electricity (€141.4/MWh) and gas (€74.2/MWh), it estimates.
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