Tenerife Households Face Butane Gas Price Hike to €15.58
Families in Tenerife and across Spain face higher costs as the regulated price of standard 12.5kg butane gas cylinders rises by 0.7% to 15.58 euros, effective until March.
Families in Tenerife who rely on butane gas cylinders are facing higher costs. The government has approved a new price increase for this household gas, which is already being applied at sales points starting today. This new price, set by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, will remain in effect for the next two months and will directly affect the budgets of thousands of households.
However, not all butane gas cylinders are affected. The government-regulated price only applies to the standard 12.5-kilogram cylinder, which is typically orange and made of steel. This particular type is known as the 'regulated market cylinder'.
The Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO), specifically its Directorate-General for Energy Policy and Mines, is responsible for setting this maximum legal price. Once approved by an official resolution and published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), no distributor is allowed to charge more than this set price for that specific cylinder.
The government recently approved this new price increase for the traditional cylinder, which is widely used for cooking and heating in homes without natural gas. The updated price, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), sets the new maximum at 15.58 euros, including taxes. This price will be valid until March.
This latest increase of 12 cents (a 0.7% rise) from the previous price is mainly due to the usual winter demand. Higher global demand for heating has pushed up the costs of raw materials and shipping. Additionally, the euro has weakened against the dollar, making it more expensive to import gas, which is always purchased in US dollars.
The prices are reviewed every two months, specifically on the third Tuesday of odd-numbered months: January, March, May, July, September, and November. So, the price announced on January 20, 2026, will remain in place until the next review in March.
This price is calculated using an official formula, which has been in use since 2015. It takes into account several important factors: the international prices of propane and butane, shipping costs, the euro-dollar exchange rate, and marketing expenses.
On top of these costs, taxes are added, including the Special Tax on Hydrocarbons and a 21% VAT.
An important feature of this system is a "safety valve." This rule prevents the price of butane from increasing or decreasing by more than 5% compared to the previous two-month period. This limit helps protect consumers from sharp price changes, especially during international crises.
Butane continues to be a vital energy source for many homes across the islands. Therefore, every price change directly affects household budgets, particularly for families who use several cylinders each month.