Heating a Yerevan apartment in winter: gas, air conditioning and the bills

How are apartments in Yerevan heated in winter?

In short: there is no central heating in the usual sense, and every apartment heats itself. The centralized system stopped working in the 1990s, and since then buildings have switched to individual solutions, so heating is the owner's responsibility, not the building's. There are three ways. A gas boiler is the most common and the most economical: a wall-mounted boiler in the apartment with radiators connected to it, and since gas in Armenia is relatively cheap, bills stay moderate with decent windows. The downsides are that the boiler needs servicing, the system costs money to install, and an old boiler is a future expense for the new owner. An air conditioner with a heating mode is the mass solution where there is no gas supply: it heats quickly, but only the room where it is installed, and electricity costs more than gas, so the winter bill is noticeably higher. Electric heaters are the most expensive option and are usually a backup.

The first Yerevan winter often comes as a surprise to newcomers. The city is in the south, but in winter temperatures go below zero, and there is no central heating in the usual sense. Each apartment heats itself, and the method determines both comfort and bills.

Why there is no shared heating

The centralized system in Yerevan stopped working in the 1990s, and buildings have since moved to individual solutions. Today this is a given: in most apartments heating is autonomous and is the owner's responsibility, not the building's.

Three main methods

A gas boiler. The most common and the most economical option. A wall-mounted boiler in the apartment feeds the radiators. Gas in Armenia is relatively cheap, so with decent windows the bills are moderate.

Downsides: the boiler needs servicing, and the system costs money to install. If the boiler is old, it is a future expense for the new owner.

An air conditioner with a heating mode. A mass solution, especially in apartments without a gas supply. It works quickly and heats the room it is in. Electricity costs more than gas, so heating a whole apartment with air conditioners makes the winter bill noticeably higher.

Electric heaters. A backup option and the most expensive to run. Rarely used as the main source of heat.

A common combination is a boiler for the whole apartment plus an air conditioner in the bedroom.

What winter costs

The exact amount depends on the floor area, the quality of the windows, the floor and whether the apartment is on a corner. As a rule, gas heating costs noticeably less than electric heating for the same area, and the difference between an insulated apartment and one with old wooden windows can be twofold.

The overall picture of utility costs is covered in utility bills in Yerevan.

What to check when renting

• How the apartment is heated. Ask directly and look for yourself: is there a boiler, are there radiators, do the air conditioners heat?
• Who pays for gas and electricity. In Yerevan utilities are usually paid by the tenant, but this is fixed in the contract.
• Windows. Old wooden frames eat up any savings in winter.
• Whether it is a corner apartment. In panel buildings, corners get much colder.
• Whether the boiler works now. Even if you view the apartment in summer, ask to switch it on.

Other contract points are covered in renting in Yerevan: contract and tenant rights.

What to check when buying

Add the technical side to the same list:

• The age of the boiler and when it was last serviced.
• The type of pipework and the condition of the radiators.
• Whether there is gas in the building and the apartment. If there is none, installing it is not always possible and is a separate project with approvals.
• Facade insulation. Some buildings have external insulation, which is visible from the outside and helps a lot in winter.

If you plan a renovation, include heating in the budget from the start. For cost guidelines, see renovating an apartment in Yerevan.

The summer side

The same air conditioner heats in winter and cools in summer, and summer bills in Yerevan are not zero either: the heat here is serious. So decent air conditioners are a year-round argument, not a seasonal one.

Bottom line

When choosing an apartment in Yerevan, put heating on a par with the district and the floor. A gas boiler plus good windows means a calm winter and predictable bills. An air conditioner as the only heat source in a large apartment with old windows means a monthly surprise from December to February.

Browse apartments for rent in Kentron, in Arabkir and new builds for rent in Arabkir; for each property we will tell you how it is heated. Or send a request through apartment search.

_Photo: Serouj Ourishian, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Image resized._

Frequently asked questions

Why is there no central heating in Yerevan?
The centralized system stopped working in the 1990s, and buildings switched to individual solutions. Today heating in most apartments is autonomous and is the owner's responsibility, not the building's.

Which is cheaper for heating a Yerevan apartment: gas or air conditioning?
A gas boiler costs noticeably less, because gas in Armenia is relatively cheap while electricity is more expensive. Heating a whole apartment with air conditioners is expensive, and electric heaters are the costliest option.

What should I check about heating when renting in Yerevan?
Find out how the apartment is heated, who pays for gas and electricity, what the windows are like and whether it is a corner apartment. If you view it in summer, ask to switch the boiler on anyway.

What should I look at in the heating system when buying an apartment?
Check the boiler's age and last service date, the pipework and radiators, whether there is gas in the building and the apartment, and whether the facade is insulated. If there is no gas, installing it is not always possible and requires approvals.