Choosing an Electricity Tariff in Cologne: FairRegio Basis vs. Better Options
If you do nothing after moving into a new Cologne home, you land on RheinEnergie's Grundversorgung tariff, branded FairRegio Strom Basis, and as of 1 January 2026 that costs 31.48 cents per kWh plus a 277.33 EUR annual base fee, about 12 percent cheaper than 2025's rate. One genuinely good piece of news: RheinEnergie has supplied 100 percent renewable electricity across its entire portfolio since 2022, so there's no separate "green tariff" markup to chase the way there is with some other city utilities, your basic supply is already renewable. That said, FairRegio Strom Basis stays expensive because it's built for maximum flexibility, just 2 weeks' notice to cancel. RheinEnergie's own FairRegio Plus offers a cheaper rate in exchange for a 12 or 24-month commitment, and independent comparison portals regularly turn up Sondervertrag offers from other suppliers that undercut both. For a typical household using 3,500 kWh a year, staying on Grundversorgung runs roughly 1,379 EUR annually, worth comparing against alternatives before assuming it's your only option.
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The Official Rule
Move into a new home in Cologne and do absolutely nothing, and you’re automatically covered under RheinEnergie’s Grundversorgung, branded FairRegio Strom Basis. RheinEnergie’s own January 2026 announcement confirms the current rate: 31.48 cents per kWh plus a 277.33 EUR annual base fee, effective 1 January 2026, down roughly 12 percent from 2025’s 35.93 cents per kWh.
Your Default Supply Is Already Renewable
Here’s a detail worth knowing before you go shopping for a pricier “eco” alternative: RheinEnergie has supplied 100 percent renewable electricity across its entire portfolio since 2022, including the standard Grundversorgung tariff you land on automatically. That’s a meaningfully different setup from cities where the default supply mix is standard and a genuinely certified green tariff costs a real premium over it. In Cologne, switching tariffs is a pure cost decision, not a tradeoff between “green” and “cheap.”
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What It Actually Costs, and What Changed for 2026
| 2025 rate | 2026 rate | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity, Arbeitspreis | 35.93 cents/kWh | 31.48 cents/kWh | ~12% lower |
| Electricity, Grundpreis | 277.33 EUR/year | 277.33 EUR/year | unchanged |
| Gas, Arbeitspreis | 13.41 cents/kWh | 12.34 cents/kWh | ~8% lower |
| Gas, Grundpreis | 172.55 EUR/year | 172.55 EUR/year | unchanged |
For a household using 3,500 kWh a year, that Grundversorgung electricity rate works out to roughly 1,379 EUR annually, a genuinely useful figure to hold in mind as your baseline before comparing anything else.
Basis vs. Plus vs. the Open Market
FairRegio Strom Basis is priced for flexibility: just 2 weeks’ notice to cancel, which matters if you might move again soon or just don’t want to commit. RheinEnergie’s own FairRegio Plus trades that flexibility for a lower rate, requiring a 12 or 24-month commitment instead, worth considering if you’re settled for at least a year. Beyond RheinEnergie itself, independent comparison portals regularly surface Sondervertrag offers from other suppliers that undercut both RheinEnergie tariffs, especially with a first-year new-customer bonus factored in, though those bonuses typically vanish after month 12.
Step by Step
- Confirm you’re currently on Grundversorgung (FairRegio Strom Basis) if you haven’t actively chosen anything, this is your automatic starting point, not a mistake to fix urgently.
- Use the 2026 Grundversorgung rate as your baseline, 31.48 cents/kWh plus 277.33 EUR/year for electricity, roughly 1,379 EUR annually at 3,500 kWh.
- Check RheinEnergie’s own FairRegio Plus rate if you’re willing to commit for 12 or 24 months in exchange for a lower price than Basis.
- Run your postcode and consumption through Check24’s electricity comparison with any bonus filter turned off, to see what else is available beyond RheinEnergie entirely.
- Read the actual Preisgarantie terms on any offer you’re considering, energy price only, or the full price including taxes and network fees.
- Avoid Vorkasse (prepayment) tariffs, and note the date any Neukundenbonus ends so you’re not surprised when the price resets after year one.
Compliance Note
This page explains the general framework for comparing electricity and gas tariffs in Cologne, current as of mid-2026. It is not financial advice. Prices and contract terms can change, confirm current tariffs directly with RheinEnergie or your chosen comparison site before signing anything.
FAQ & Common Pitfalls
What happens if I genuinely just don't pick a tariff?
You're automatically covered under RheinEnergie's Grundversorgung, branded FairRegio Strom Basis, no service gap, no paperwork required beyond registering your move. As of 1 January 2026 that costs 31.48 cents per kWh plus a 277.33 EUR annual base fee, for a typical 3,500 kWh household that works out to roughly 1,379 EUR a year. It's a genuinely reasonable safety net, especially since it's already renewable electricity, but it's priced for flexibility (2 weeks' notice) rather than being RheinEnergie's cheapest option.
Is RheinEnergie's default electricity actually "green," or do I need a separate eco tariff?
It's already green, and this is worth knowing before you go shopping for a pricier eco-labeled alternative. RheinEnergie has supplied 100 percent renewable electricity across its full portfolio since 2022, including the standard Grundversorgung/ FairRegio Strom Basis tariff. Unlike cities where the default supply mix is standard and a genuinely green tariff costs a premium, in Cologne your baseline electricity is already renewable, so switching tariffs is purely a cost decision, not a "green vs. standard" tradeoff.
What's the difference between FairRegio Basis and FairRegio Plus?
FairRegio Strom Basis is the Grundversorgung tariff, the automatic fallback, priced for maximum flexibility with just 2 weeks' cancellation notice, which is convenient but not RheinEnergie's cheapest rate. FairRegio Plus is RheinEnergie's own term-based alternative, requiring a 12 or 24-month commitment in exchange for a lower rate than Basis. It's worth considering if you're planning to stay in the same place for at least a year and want a cheaper RheinEnergie option without switching providers entirely.
How much did prices actually change for 2026?
RheinEnergie's own January 2026 announcement confirms a real cut, not a marginal adjustment. Electricity under Grundversorgung and FairRegio Strom Plus dropped to 31.48 cents per kWh (down from 35.93 cents), roughly a 12 percent reduction, while the annual base fee is 277.33 EUR. Gas dropped too, to 12.34 cents per kWh (down from 13.41 cents), about an 8 percent reduction, with a 172.55 EUR annual base fee. Both changes took effect 1 January 2026.
Should I still bother comparing other suppliers if RheinEnergie already got cheaper?
Yes, a price cut on the default tariff doesn't mean it's automatically the cheapest option on the market. Third-party comparison summaries of RheinEnergie's own tariffs already show FairRegio Plus undercutting Basis, and independent comparison portals regularly surface Sondervertrag offers from other suppliers that go lower still, especially once you factor in any first-year Neukundenbonus. Running your specific postcode and consumption through a comparison tool takes a few minutes and costs nothing, worth doing before signing anything for a full year or two.
What should I actually watch out for when comparing offers?
The same traps that apply anywhere in Germany: check whether a quoted "Preisgarantie" actually locks the full price including taxes and network fees, or just the energy component, factor in how much of an advertised discount is a one-time Neukundenbonus that disappears after year one, and avoid Vorkasse (prepayment) tariffs entirely, since paying upfront removes your usual protection if a discount supplier runs into financial trouble. None of this is specific to Cologne, it's standard due diligence before switching away from RheinEnergie's default.