Updated 24 October 2026
Quick answer: Petrol has become much more expensive almost everywhere since the war involving Iran began on 28 February 2026. Comparing official weekly averages for the week of 23 February with the week of 19 October 2026, regular petrol is up 46% in the United States (from $2.94 to $4.28 a gallon), 33% in the United Kingdom (from 131.7p to 174.6p a litre) and 22% on average across the European Union (from €1.64 to €1.99 a litre). Within Europe, the biggest rises were in Finland, Czechia, Bulgaria, Estonia and Denmark (34% to 36%) and the smallest in Ireland, Poland and Sweden (13% to 14%). Malta, where the state sets prices, saw no change. Elsewhere, petrol is up roughly 50% in South Africa and Pakistan, about 40% in Australia and 25% in Canada, but less than 10% in India and Japan, where governments have held prices down. Diesel has risen even more than petrol in most countries.
Most reports on fuel prices cover one country at a time, use different dates and often mix up petrol and diesel. This guide compares 29 countries on the same basis, using the official weekly price surveys published by the European Commission, the US Energy Information Administration and the UK government, and adds six more countries from national sources. The table below shows the rise in each country, the price now and the peak.
| Country | Price now | Rise |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $4.28/gal≈ US$1.13/L | +45.9% |
| Finland | €2.33/L≈ US$2.61/L | +35.8% |
| Czechia | €1.86/L≈ US$2.08/L | +35.7% |
| Bulgaria | €1.65/L≈ US$1.84/L | +35.1% |
| Estonia | €1.95/L≈ US$2.19/L | +34.5% |
| Denmark | €2.60/L≈ US$2.92/L | +34.4% |
| Cyprus | €1.76/L≈ US$1.97/L | +34.1% |
| Lithuania | €1.95/L≈ US$2.18/L | +33.8% |
| United Kingdom | 174.6p/L≈ US$2.33/L | +32.5% |
| Belgium | €1.99/L≈ US$2.23/L | +32.2% |
| France | €2.23/L≈ US$2.49/L | +30.4% |
| Slovakia | €1.89/L≈ US$2.11/L | +27.9% |
| Latvia | €1.95/L≈ US$2.18/L | +27.2% |
| Greece | €2.19/L≈ US$2.45/L | +26.1% |
| Portugal | €2.10/L≈ US$2.35/L | +24.5% |
| Slovenia | €1.75/L≈ US$1.96/L | +23.3% |
| Croatia | €1.81/L≈ US$2.02/L | +22.8% |
| Luxembourg | €1.79/L≈ US$2.00/L | +22.7% |
| Romania | €1.90/L≈ US$2.12/L | +22.6% |
| Italy | €2.02/L≈ US$2.26/L | +21.8% |
| EU average | €1.99/L≈ US$2.23/L | +21.6% |
| Hungary | €1.77/L≈ US$1.98/L | +21.1% |
| Spain | €1.78/L≈ US$1.99/L | +21.0% |
| Austria | €1.82/L≈ US$2.03/L | +20.4% |
| Germany | €2.18/L≈ US$2.44/L | +19.5% |
| Netherlands | €2.39/L≈ US$2.68/L | +16.0% |
| Sweden | €1.64/L≈ US$1.84/L | +14.4% |
| Ireland | €1.97/L≈ US$2.21/L | +13.3% |
| Poland | €1.56/L≈ US$1.75/L | +13.3% |
| Malta | €1.34/L≈ US$1.50/L | 0.0% |
What Happened to Oil Prices
The war began on 28 February 2026 and quickly disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel between Iran and Oman through which about a fifth of the world's oil normally passes. Insurance costs for tankers soared, some shipments stopped altogether, and refiners in Asia and Europe competed for cargoes from other regions.
According to the US Energy Information Administration, the price of Brent crude, the main international benchmark, averaged about $71 a barrel in the last weeks before the war. It climbed above $100 within weeks and averaged about $126 in the week to 16 October, close to its high for the year. Releases from strategic oil stocks by major economies have eased the pressure at times, but have not brought prices back to pre-war levels.
Pump prices follow crude oil with a lag of one to three weeks, and they also depend on refining margins, which have been unusually high because the conflict disrupted supplies of refined fuels as well as crude.
The Biggest and Smallest Rises
Among the 29 countries in the table:
- United States: +46%. The national average for regular gasoline rose from $2.94 a gallon in the week of 23 February to a peak of $4.50 in mid-May. After easing in early summer, it climbed again in September and stood at $4.28 in the week of 19 October.
- Finland, Czechia, Bulgaria, Estonia and Denmark: +34% to +36%. Denmark now has the most expensive petrol in the EU, at about €2.61 a litre.
- United Kingdom: +33%. Unleaded rose from 131.7p to 174.6p a litre. UK diesel rose even faster, from 141.5p to 199.3p, and went above £2 a litre for the first time in October.
- Belgium and France: +30% to +32%.
- Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria: about +20% to +22%, close to the EU average.
- Ireland, Poland and Sweden: +13% to +14%, the smallest rises outside Malta.
The median rise across the 29 countries is about 24%. Petrol prices peaked in late September in most of Europe and have eased slightly since; in the US, the peak came in May.
Why the US Rose Most in Percentage Terms
It may seem odd that petrol rose fastest in the country with the cheapest fuel in the table. The reason is tax. In the US, federal and state taxes add only around 50 to 60 cents to a gallon, so crude oil and refining make up most of the price. When oil rises by 70%, the pump price rises a lot in percentage terms.
In Europe, fixed excise duties and VAT make up roughly half the pump price. A litre of petrol in Germany or the Netherlands carries well over €1 in tax whatever the oil price. When crude rises, the fixed part of the price stays the same, so the percentage rise is smaller, even though the cash increase per litre (about €0.35 on average) is similar to the US increase of about $0.36 a litre.
In other words, high-tax countries feel a smaller percentage shock but still pay more in absolute terms, while low-tax countries see bigger swings. That is also why countries that cut fuel taxes, as several did in 2022, can soften a price spike quickly.
Diesel Rose More Than Petrol
Across the EU, diesel rose 34% between 23 February and 19 October, from €1.59 to €2.14 a litre, compared with 22% for petrol. In the UK, diesel rose 41%, compared with 33% for petrol. Diesel is now more expensive than petrol in most European countries, reversing the usual pattern.
The Gulf region is a major exporter of diesel and jet fuel, so the war hit supplies of these fuels particularly hard. Diesel also matters beyond cars: it powers lorries, farm machinery, ships and many generators, which is why diesel prices feed into the cost of food and goods more directly than petrol does.
Other Countries
For countries outside Europe and the US, comparable weekly data is not published in the same way, so we have taken the closest official or industry figures before and after the start of the war. Dates differ, so treat these as indicative:
| Country | Before the war | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa (95 inland) | R20.10 (February) | R30.25 (from 7 October) | +50% |
| Pakistan | Rs 258.17 (from 16 February) | Rs 381.14 (from 20 October) | +48% |
| Australia (unleaded) | 171.2c (February average) | about 240c (24 October) | about +40% |
| Canada | 141.8c (end of February) | 177.5c (11 October) | +25% |
| Japan (regular) | ¥154.7 (9 February) | about ¥170 (capped by subsidy) | about +10% |
| India (Delhi) | ₹94.77 | ₹102.12 (unchanged since July) | +8% |
Three patterns stand out:
- Countries that pass on world prices quickly, such as South Africa and Pakistan, which adjust prices monthly or fortnightly by formula, saw some of the largest rises. Weak currencies made it worse, because oil is priced in dollars.
- Countries with subsidies or caps saw much smaller rises. Japan has paid subsidies of around ¥20 a litre to hold the national average near ¥170, and India's state-owned fuel retailers kept prices frozen for months before raising them in small steps from May.
- Oil-producing countries with heavily subsidised fuel, such as Iran itself, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Venezuela, saw little or no change at the pump, although the cost falls on their budgets instead.
What the Rise Costs a Typical Driver
A car that covers 12,000 kilometres (about 7,500 miles) a year at 7 litres per 100 km uses about 840 litres of fuel. At the increases since February, that adds roughly:
- United States: about $300 a year (840 litres is about 222 gallons, at $1.35 a gallon more).
- United Kingdom: about £360 a year (43p a litre more).
- EU average: about €300 a year (35 cents a litre more), and about €550 in Denmark.
Filling a 50-litre tank now costs about €18 more than in February on the EU average and about £21 more in the UK. Households that drive more, live in rural areas or use older, less efficient cars pay considerably more, which is why fuel price rises tend to hit lower-income and rural households hardest relative to their income.
The indirect effects are also significant. Higher diesel and transport costs feed through to food and goods prices over several months. Energy was the main reason inflation rose again in many countries during 2026; our guide on Why Are Prices Still So High When Inflation Has Come Down? explains how energy shocks pass through to everyday prices.
Why Prices Fall More Slowly Than They Rise
Drivers often notice that pump prices rise within days of an oil price jump but take weeks to fall when oil gets cheaper. Economists call this "rockets and feathers", and it has been documented in many countries. Part of it is mechanical: stations sell fuel they bought at earlier prices, and wholesale contracts reset with a lag. Part of it is competition: where there are few competing stations, retailers have less pressure to cut quickly.
That is one reason prices in many countries were still near their peaks in October even though crude oil had stopped rising. If oil prices fall, expect pump prices to follow over four to eight weeks rather than immediately.
How Governments Have Responded
Responses fall into a few groups:
- Price subsidies and caps, as in Japan and, through state-owned retailers, India. They protect consumers but cost governments a lot, and they weaken the incentive to use less fuel.
- Strategic stock releases, coordinated by major economies to add supply and calm markets.
- Tax changes. Some governments have delayed planned fuel duty increases or adjusted levies; others have kept taxes unchanged to protect budgets.
- Targeted support, such as payments or transport discounts for lower-income households, which most economists consider better value than blanket price cuts.
Because these measures change frequently, check your own government's announcements for the current position.
Ways to Cut Your Fuel Bill
You cannot control the oil price, but you can control a surprising amount of what you spend:
- Compare prices. Prices often differ by 10 to 20 cents a litre within the same town. Price comparison apps and official price-reporting schemes, such as those in Australia, Germany and France, make this easy. Supermarket and motorway stations are typically the cheapest and most expensive respectively.
- Time your fill-ups. In cities with price cycles, such as several in Australia, prices rise sharply one day and drift down over the next week. Filling up near the bottom of the cycle can save several dollars a tank.
- Drive more smoothly. Gentle acceleration and braking, and keeping to 90–100 km/h on motorways instead of 120–130 km/h, can cut fuel use by 10% to 20%.
- Check tyre pressure and remove weight. Under-inflated tyres and roof boxes add measurably to consumption.
- Combine trips and share journeys. A cold engine uses much more fuel, so several short trips cost more than one longer one.
- Use fuel cards and loyalty discounts only if they save more than buying at the cheapest station would.
- Reconsider the next car. If you are replacing a car anyway, the gap between running costs for petrol, hybrid and electric cars is now wider than before the war. Our guide How to Afford a Car in 2026 When the Average Payment Is $777 (Calculator) helps you compare the full cost.
What to Watch Next
Where petrol prices go from here depends mainly on three things:
- Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Any lasting reopening or ceasefire would likely bring the biggest fall in oil prices; any escalation, the biggest rise.
- Refining capacity and diesel supplies, which have kept fuel prices higher than crude oil alone would suggest.
- Exchange rates. Oil is priced in dollars, so a weaker local currency raises pump prices even if oil is flat.
Nobody can reliably forecast oil prices during a war. A sensible personal approach is to budget for prices staying near current levels for the next few months, and treat any fall as a bonus.
Data Notes
EU prices are from the European Commission's Weekly Oil Bulletin, which reports average pump prices of Euro-super 95 including all taxes for each member state every Monday. For countries outside the euro area, the Commission converts prices to euros, so changes in exchange rates are included in the percentage rise. Poland's and Sweden's weekly figures swing more than most from week to week, so their change is more sensitive to the dates chosen. US prices are the Energy Information Administration's weekly national average for regular gasoline; UK prices are the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's weekly average for unleaded petrol. "Before the war" is the week of 23 February 2026, the last full survey week before 28 February; "now" is the week of 19 October 2026. Dollar equivalents per litre use European Central Bank reference rates for 23 October 2026. We will update the table monthly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much have petrol prices gone up since the Iran war?
Between the week of 23 February and the week of 19 October 2026, regular petrol rose 46% in the US, 33% in the UK and 22% on average in the EU. The median rise across 29 countries was about 24%.
Which country has had the biggest petrol price rise?
Among countries with comparable weekly data, the United States (+46%), followed by Finland, Czechia, Bulgaria, Estonia and Denmark (+34% to +36%). South Africa and Pakistan have seen rises of around 50% based on their official monthly and fortnightly prices.
Which country has the most expensive petrol in Europe now?
Denmark, at about €2.61 a litre in the week of 19 October 2026, followed by the Netherlands (€2.39) and Finland (€2.33).
Why did US gas prices rise more than Europe's in percentage terms?
Because US fuel taxes are low, crude oil makes up a much larger share of the pump price. In Europe, fixed taxes make up around half the price, which dampens the percentage change even when the cash increase is similar.
Why is diesel more expensive than petrol now?
The Gulf is a major source of diesel and jet fuel, so the disruption cut supplies of these fuels more than petrol. EU diesel rose 34% and UK diesel 41% between February and October.
When will petrol prices come down?
That depends mainly on oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Pump prices usually follow crude oil down with a lag of several weeks, so even a sharp fall in oil would take one to two months to show fully at the pump.
Has petrol gone up in Iran?
Very little. Iran's petrol is heavily subsidised and its pump price is among the lowest in the world, so it has barely changed.
Final Thoughts
The war has added a third to the price of a tank of petrol in much of the world, and more for diesel. The size of the rise in your country depends less on geography than on tax and policy: low-tax countries saw the largest percentage jumps, countries that pass on world prices by formula saw the fastest, and countries with subsidies saw the smallest, at a cost to their budgets.
For households, the practical steps are the same everywhere: compare prices, drive a little more gently, combine trips, and factor today's fuel costs into big decisions such as your next car. We will update this table each month as the official surveys are published.
Sources
- European Commission: Weekly Oil Bulletin (fuel prices in every EU country)
- US Energy Information Administration: gasoline and diesel fuel update
- US Energy Information Administration: weekly Brent crude oil spot price
- UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: weekly road fuel prices
- Canadian Automobile Association: national gas prices
- Kalibrate: Canadian petroleum price snapshot, February 2026
- Northern Territory Treasury: fuel prices, February 2026 (national averages from AIP and ACCC data)
- TimesLIVE: South African fuel prices from 7 October 2026
- IOL: February 2026 fuel price cut in South Africa
- Daily Pakistan: petrol prices from 16 February 2026
- UA.News, citing Dawn: Pakistan petrol prices from 20 October 2026
- Qatar Tribune: Japan holds gasoline near 170 yen with subsidies
- Upstox: petrol price in Delhi
- Al Jazeera: how much more are you spending on petrol since the war began?
- European Central Bank: euro foreign exchange reference rates
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- Electricity Prices by Country 2026: What Households Pay per kWh, and What the Iran War Means for Bills
- Why Are Prices Still So High When Inflation Has Come Down?
- How to Afford a Car in 2026 When the Average Payment Is $777 (Calculator)
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Prices are from official weekly surveys for the weeks of 23 February and 19 October 2026, and from national sources for other countries as dated in the text. This article is for information only.
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