BRUSSELS, Belgium / EuroWire.IO / – According to Eurostat, the cost of fuels for personal vehicles in the European Union increased by 31.4% in September 2026 compared to the same month a year earlier. This marked the most significant rise in the past three months, with annual growth rates of 16.9% in July and 23.8% in August. The data encompasses fuels and lubricants used in private cars. Eurostat released this information on October 21, as part of the EU’s harmonised consumer price index statistics.
In September, 26 of the 27 EU member states experienced higher year-on-year increases than in July and August. Bulgaria saw the largest jump at 42.2%, followed by Estonia at 40.6% and Lithuania at 40.2%. These were the only countries where fuel prices climbed by over 40%. An additional 12 nations reported annual increases above 30%, with Czechia at 37.5% and Portugal at 30.3%. The widespread nature of these increases underscores how broadly rising costs have impacted the bloc.
Hungary registered the smallest annual growth in fuel prices at 6.9%. Ireland’s increase was 17.7%, while Sweden saw a 19.9% rise. In Cyprus, prices increased by 24.6%, which remains below the EU average. The data clearly indicates that drivers in nearly every member country paid significantly more at the pump than they did a year earlier. Some governments, such as Germany, have responded by reducing fuel taxes to alleviate the financial pressure on households.
September sees further increases for diesel and petrol
Fuel prices continued their upward trend from month to month. Across the EU, diesel prices rose by 5.9% in September compared to August, while petrol prices increased by 6.7% during the same period. In August, diesel had already climbed by 8.3% and petrol by 3.3% compared to July. These figures suggest persistent upward pressure on transport fuel expenses extending into late summer and autumn.
Between August and September, 26 EU countries experienced increases in diesel prices. Sweden reported the highest monthly rise at 12.8%, followed by Latvia at 10.3% and Poland at 9.7%. Conversely, the smallest increases occurred in Spain at 2.4%, Croatia at 2.5%, and Romania at 3.0%. The monthly data highlights substantial disparities among member states, with national taxes and duties constituting a large portion of the final pump prices in most countries.
Sweden records the largest monthly hike in petrol prices
Between August and September, petrol prices also increased in 26 EU nations. Sweden again led with a 13.8% rise, followed by Poland at 9.7% and Estonia at 9.5%. The smallest growth rates were observed in Cyprus at 3.8%, Romania at 4.2%, and Slovenia at 4.6%. Notably, Sweden experienced the biggest monthly increases in both diesel and petrol, despite only a modest annual rise. Meanwhile, Cyprus remained below the EU average on the yearly measure.
Rising energy costs have contributed to higher consumer prices across Europe this year. Euro area inflation reached 3.3% in August, primarily driven by energy prices. The Bank of Italy recently projected that oil prices will average $114 a barrel in the fourth quarter of 2026. Eurostat is expected to release additional price data in the upcoming weeks. Fuel expenses continue to be a significant factor impacting household budgets and transportation companies alike.