So you’re complaining about high fuel prices? That’s right (and it gets worse)

Who hasn’t been shocked to fill up their tank in recent months? People with a petrol car were particularly affected.

In June 2022 it was even worse: then we paid the absolute record price of 2.50 euros per liter of petrol. The price of diesel also skyrocketed and reached a point even more expensive than gasoline. The situation got so bad that the government intervened. It did this by giving a discount on excise duties. Part of the discount disappeared on July 1, 2023. And now the price is the highest of all European countries.

Where to refuel cheaply in Europe?

The differences between the EU countries are enormous. In the Netherlands, the average petrol price is 2.11 euros (E10), making us the most expensive country. While in Poland – the cheapest country to fill up with petrol – you only pay 1.49 euros. That’s a difference of 62 cents per liter. If you fill up with 50 liters, you will be more than 30 euros cheaper in Poland!

You also pay a lot less in Austria (1.70 euros), Luxembourg (1.67 euros), Croatia (1.63 euros) and the Czech Republic (1.65 euros). Belgium is in the middle bracket with 1.82 euros. Please note: this is a snapshot. The price fluctuates considerably due to the fluctuating oil price, and the price of petrol and diesel also varies per region. In the Netherlands, for example, you pay less at gas stations near the borders with Belgium and Germany.

Diesel is less expensive in the Netherlands than in Belgium

Diesel drivers do pay more road tax than people with a petrol car, but frequent drivers earn that back at the pump. The price of a liter of diesel is very average compared to the rest of Europe. You pay 1.86 euros. In Belgium (1.89 euros), Sweden (2.07 euros) and Switzerland (2.12 euros) you pay more, in France and Italy the price is at the same level as in the Netherlands. Poland (1.44 euros) is also unbeatable for diesel drivers.

In 2024, refueling will become even more expensive

If you are already shocked by the current petrol prices, you can have fun after New Year’s Eve. If nothing changes in the plans, the excise tax discount will be completely abandoned in 2024. A liter of petrol will then become another 8.7 cents more expensive, diesel will rise by 5.6 cents and the price of LPG will increase by 2.1 cents. Although it is not clear whether the plans will go ahead.

All European fuel prices at a glance