Germany’s heating costs for rental apartments have surged by over 31% in 2023, according to the latest Wärmemonitor from the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW). Despite a decline in energy consumption—down 3.8% compared to 2022—households couldn’t offset the rising prices. The study highlights significant regional disparities, with eastern states experiencing lower heating needs. While increased energy prices and efficiency measures contributed to reduced consumption, they were not enough to mitigate the overall cost increase, mirroring trends seen early in the Ukraine conflict.