Press · Data story
Diesel vs petrol: the price gap in the EU since 2005
On average in the EU, a litre of diesel costs €0.225 more than a litre of petrol (€2.154 against €1.929, prices of 2 Nov 2026). Before taxes the gap is wider, +€0.307. Below: every EU country, the gap since 2005, sentences ready to quote and the data. The page updates with every new EU Weekly Oil Bulletin.
Key numbers · Bulletin of 2 Nov 2026
- +€0.225/LDiesel minus petrol, EU averageDiesel €2.154 vs petrol €1.929 per litreIn the EU, a litre of diesel costs on average €0.225 more than a litre of petrol: €2.154 against €1.929 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
- +€0.246/LWidest gap since 2005: 13 Apr 2026Before 2026, the widest was +€0.178 (24 Oct 2022)The gap between diesel and petrol prices in the EU reached +€0.246 per litre on 13 April 2026, the widest since the weekly series began in 2005; before 2026, the widest was +€0.178, on 24 October 2022 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
- 26 of 27EU countries where diesel costs more than petrolPetrol costs more in MaltaDiesel costs more than petrol in 26 of the 27 EU countries; petrol is dearer only in Malta (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
- +€0.307/LDiesel minus petrol before taxes, EURecord +€0.316 on 13 Apr 2026 · at the pump: +€0.225Before taxes, a litre of diesel costs €0.307 more than a litre of petrol in the EU; taxes are €0.082 per litre lower on diesel on average, which narrows the gap to €0.225 at the pump (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average of prices without taxes, 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Source: EU Weekly Oil Bulletin (European Commission), prices of 2 Nov 2026 · EU = weighted EU-27 average · € per litre, with all taxes unless stated
The numbers
Petrol, diesel and the difference in every EU country
National average pump prices with all taxes, in € per litre, from the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin. A positive difference means diesel costs more. Click a column heading to sort.
| EU average (weighted) | €1.929 | €2.154 | +€0.225 | +€11.25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden temporary tax cuts | €1.555 | €2.061 | +€0.506 | +€25.30 |
| Belgium | €1.914 | €2.398 | +€0.484 | +€24.20 |
| Austria | €1.747 | €2.148 | +€0.401 | +€20.05 |
| Poland | €1.456 | €1.812 | +€0.356 | +€17.80 |
| Lithuania | €1.870 | €2.223 | +€0.353 | +€17.65 |
| Luxembourg | €1.759 | €2.110 | +€0.351 | +€17.55 |
| Bulgaria | €1.605 | €1.893 | +€0.288 | +€14.40 |
| Cyprus | €1.716 | €2.002 | +€0.286 | +€14.30 |
| Croatia | €1.749 | €2.015 | +€0.266 | +€13.30 |
| Slovenia | €1.675 | €1.941 | +€0.266 | +€13.30 |
| Estonia | €1.863 | €2.113 | +€0.250 | +€12.50 |
| Italy | €2.001 | €2.238 | +€0.237 | +€11.85 |
| Latvia | €1.868 | €2.099 | +€0.231 | +€11.55 |
| Finland | €2.205 | €2.433 | +€0.228 | +€11.40 |
| Hungary | €1.750 | €1.978 | +€0.228 | +€11.40 |
| Czechia | €1.765 | €1.981 | +€0.216 | +€10.80 |
| France | €2.158 | €2.371 | +€0.213 | +€10.65 |
| Portugal | €2.006 | €2.205 | +€0.199 | +€9.95 |
| Slovakia | €1.785 | €1.979 | +€0.194 | +€9.70 |
| Romania | €1.881 | €2.071 | +€0.190 | +€9.50 |
| Netherlands | €2.284 | €2.468 | +€0.184 | +€9.20 |
| Spain | €1.730 | €1.898 | +€0.168 | +€8.40 |
| Ireland | €1.966 | €2.122 | +€0.156 | +€7.80 |
| Germany | €2.128 | €2.282 | +€0.154 | +€7.70 |
| Denmark petrol: minus average discounts | €2.498 | €2.529 | +€0.031 | +€1.55 |
| Greece | €2.125 | €2.139 | +€0.014 | +€0.70 |
| Malta state-fixed price | €1.340 | €1.210 | −€0.130 | −€6.50 |
- EU average: the Commission’s weighted EU-27 average. Countries: national average pump prices, all taxes included, as reported to the European Commission. Differences are calculated from the prices shown.
Chart
Two views of the same bulletin data
Since 2005
By country
Ready-to-quote sentences
Copy a sentence: figure, currency, date and source included
Each sentence names the fuel, the currency, the date and the source. Copy it as it is, or take the figures.
EU average
In the EU, a litre of diesel costs on average €0.225 more than a litre of petrol: €2.154 against €1.929 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Filling a 50-litre tank with diesel costs €11.25 more than with petrol at EU average prices (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Before taxes, a litre of diesel costs €0.307 more than a litre of petrol in the EU; taxes are €0.082 per litre lower on diesel on average, which narrows the gap to €0.225 at the pump (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average of prices without taxes, 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Diesel has cost more than petrol on EU average in every weekly bulletin since 20 July 2026 (16 weeks in a row) (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Records since 2005
The gap between diesel and petrol prices in the EU reached +€0.246 per litre on 13 April 2026, the widest since the weekly series began in 2005; before 2026, the widest was +€0.178, on 24 October 2022 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
The opposite record: on 3 August 2015, diesel cost €0.230 per litre less than petrol on EU average, the lowest gap since 2005 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, weighted EU-27 average, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Countries
Diesel costs more than petrol in 26 of the 27 EU countries; petrol is dearer only in Malta (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). In Malta, pump prices are fixed by the government.
The widest gap between diesel and petrol is in Sweden (+€0.506 per litre), followed by Belgium (+€0.484) and Austria (+€0.401) (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). Sweden temporarily cut its fuel taxes in 2026: the energy tax until 30 September and the CO₂ tax until 30 November (Skatteverket).
Your country
Austria
In Austria, a litre of diesel costs €0.401 more than a litre of petrol: €2.148 against €1.747 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Belgium
In Belgium, a litre of diesel costs €0.484 more than a litre of petrol: €2.398 against €1.914 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, a litre of diesel costs €0.288 more than a litre of petrol: €1.893 against €1.605 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Croatia
In Croatia, a litre of diesel costs €0.266 more than a litre of petrol: €2.015 against €1.749 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Cyprus
In Cyprus, a litre of diesel costs €0.286 more than a litre of petrol: €2.002 against €1.716 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Czechia
In Czechia, a litre of diesel costs €0.216 more than a litre of petrol: €1.981 against €1.765 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). Czechia does not use the euro: the Commission converts its prices at each week’s exchange rate.
Denmark
In Denmark, a litre of diesel costs €0.031 more than a litre of petrol: €2.529 against €2.498 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). Denmark’s petrol figure is consumer prices minus the previous quarter’s average discounts, which lowers it. Denmark does not use the euro: the Commission converts its prices at each week’s exchange rate.
Estonia
In Estonia, a litre of diesel costs €0.250 more than a litre of petrol: €2.113 against €1.863 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Finland
In Finland, a litre of diesel costs €0.228 more than a litre of petrol: €2.433 against €2.205 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
France
In France, a litre of diesel costs €0.213 more than a litre of petrol: €2.371 against €2.158 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Greece
In Greece, a litre of diesel costs €0.014 more than a litre of petrol: €2.139 against €2.125 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Hungary
In Hungary, a litre of diesel costs €0.228 more than a litre of petrol: €1.978 against €1.750 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). Hungary does not use the euro: the Commission converts its prices at each week’s exchange rate.
Ireland
In Ireland, a litre of diesel costs €0.156 more than a litre of petrol: €2.122 against €1.966 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Italy
In Italy, a litre of diesel costs €0.237 more than a litre of petrol: €2.238 against €2.001 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Latvia
In Latvia, a litre of diesel costs €0.231 more than a litre of petrol: €2.099 against €1.868 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Lithuania
In Lithuania, a litre of diesel costs €0.353 more than a litre of petrol: €2.223 against €1.870 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, a litre of diesel costs €0.351 more than a litre of petrol: €2.110 against €1.759 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Malta
In Malta, a litre of diesel costs €0.130 less than a litre of petrol: €1.210 against €1.340 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). In Malta, pump prices are fixed by the government.
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, a litre of diesel costs €0.184 more than a litre of petrol: €2.468 against €2.284 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Poland
In Poland, a litre of diesel costs €0.356 more than a litre of petrol: €1.812 against €1.456 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). Poland does not use the euro: the Commission converts its prices at each week’s exchange rate.
Portugal
In Portugal, a litre of diesel costs €0.199 more than a litre of petrol: €2.205 against €2.006 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Romania
In Romania, a litre of diesel costs €0.190 more than a litre of petrol: €2.071 against €1.881 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). Romania does not use the euro: the Commission converts its prices at each week’s exchange rate.
Slovakia
In Slovakia, a litre of diesel costs €0.194 more than a litre of petrol: €1.979 against €1.785 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Slovenia
In Slovenia, a litre of diesel costs €0.266 more than a litre of petrol: €1.941 against €1.675 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Spain
In Spain, a litre of diesel costs €0.168 more than a litre of petrol: €1.898 against €1.730 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu).
Sweden
In Sweden, a litre of diesel costs €0.506 more than a litre of petrol: €2.061 against €1.555 (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin, prices of 2 November 2026, via fuel-prices.eu). Sweden temporarily cut its fuel taxes in 2026: the energy tax until 30 September and the CO₂ tax until 30 November (Skatteverket). Sweden does not use the euro: the Commission converts its prices at each week’s exchange rate.
Download
The table as CSV, the chart as PNG
- Table: Diesel and petrol by country, 2 Nov 202628 rows · comma-separated, UTF-8 · source and licence in the last linesCSV
- Chart: Diesel minus petrol, EU, weekly since 2005PNG, 1720 × 964 px, in the colours on your screen (use the light/dark switch at the top to change them) · source written in the image
- Chart: Diesel minus petrol by countryPNG, 1720 × 1488 px, in the colours on your screen (use the light/dark switch at the top to change them) · source written in the image
Downloads contain exactly the figures on this page, with their dates and sources.
Methodology & caveats
Sources, definitions and what the numbers do not say
- Prices. National average pump prices of Euro-super 95 petrol and diesel, with all taxes, as reported by each country to the European Commission for the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin.
- EU average. The Commission’s weighted EU-27 average (weighted by each country’s fuel consumption), for diesel and for petrol. The gap is diesel minus petrol: positive when diesel costs more.
- Before taxes. The same bulletin publishes prices net of duties and taxes (excise, VAT and other levies removed); the before-tax gap uses the Commission’s weighted EU-27 averages of those prices. The difference between the two gaps is the tax difference between the fuels.
- Calculations. Country differences are calculated from the prices shown (3 decimals). Records use the Commission’s EU averages as published (€ per 1,000 litres), since the first bulletin of 2005.
- Coverage. The count of countries covers all 27; the chart by country, the largest gaps and the sentences per country cover 26 EU countries. The EU average is the Commission’s figure for all 27.
- Labels. Malta: pump prices are fixed by the government. Denmark (petrol): consumer prices minus the previous quarter’s average discounts, which lowers the petrol figure and so the gap. Sweden: temporary fuel tax cuts in 2026 (energy tax until 30 September, CO₂ tax until 30 November, Skatteverket).
- Currencies. Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden do not use the euro; the Commission converts their prices at each week’s exchange rate. The gap within a country is not affected by the rate in a given week.
- What the numbers do not say. They show the gap, not its causes: refining, wholesale markets and taxes all play a part, and the bulletin does not separate them beyond taxes. They are national averages, not the price at a particular station, and they are not a forecast.
- Updates. The page updates automatically when a new bulletin is published, usually on Thursday with the prices of that Monday. Data date on this page: 2 November 2026.
How to cite
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Source: fuel-prices.eu, EU Weekly Oil Bulletin (European Commission)
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Data: <a href="https://www.fuel-prices.eu/press/diesel-vs-petrol/">fuel-prices.eu</a>, <a href="https://www.fuel-prices.eu/press/#cite">CC BY 4.0</a>
Full reference, for reports and papers:
fuel-prices.eu (2026). Diesel vs petrol: the price gap in the EU since 2005. https://www.fuel-prices.eu/press/diesel-vs-petrol/ (data: EU Weekly Oil Bulletin (European Commission), prices of 2 Nov 2026; retrieved 12 November 2026).
Licence. Our tables, averages and charts are published under CC BY 4.0: you may reuse them, also commercially, if you credit fuel-prices.eu with a link. The underlying source data keep their own licences, listed on the press page.
Questions, or need the data in another format? Write to hi@fuel-prices.eu or use the press contact form.
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