BRUSSELS, Belgium / EuroWire.IO / – According to Eurostat, the European Union experienced a 31.4% increase in fuel costs for personal transportation in September 2026 compared to the same month last year. This marks the sharpest rise over the previous three months. In July, annual growth was 16.9%, followed by 23.8% in August. The data encompasses fuels and lubricants for private vehicles and was released by Eurostat on October 21. It forms part of the EU’s harmonised consumer price indices.
In September, 26 of the 27 EU member states saw higher year-on-year increases than in July and August. Bulgaria experienced the largest jump at 42.2%, with Estonia and Lithuania close behind at 40.6% and 40.2% respectively. These were the only three countries where fuel prices increased by more than 40%. An additional 12 nations reported annual gains exceeding 30%, ranging from 37.5% in Czechia to 30.3% in Portugal. The widespread nature of these increases illustrates how broadly rising costs have affected the bloc.
Hungary recorded the smallest annual rise at 6.9%, while Ireland and Sweden saw increases of 17.7% and 19.9%, respectively. In Cyprus, prices increased by 24.6%, still below the EU average. The data clearly demonstrate that drivers in nearly every member state are paying significantly more at the pump than they did a year earlier. Several governments, including Germany, have taken steps to cut fuel taxes to help ease the burden on households.
September sees continued rise in diesel and petrol prices
Fuel prices from August to September experienced notable increases. Diesel costs across the EU rose by 5.9%, while petrol prices grew by 6.7% over the same period. In August, diesel had increased by 8.3% compared to July, with petrol rising by 3.3%. These figures indicate persistent upward pressure on transport fuel expenses through late summer into autumn.
Between August and September, 26 EU countries saw diesel prices climb. Sweden recorded the highest monthly increase at 12.8%, followed by Latvia at 10.3% and Poland at 9.7%. Conversely, Spain experienced the smallest growth at 2.4%, with Croatia at 2.5% and Romania at 3.0%. The variation between member states reflects the significant influence of national taxes and duties, which constitute a large share of the final pump price in most EU countries.
Sweden reports the highest monthly increase in petrol prices
Petrol prices also saw a rise in 26 member states from August to September. Sweden again had the largest monthly increase at 13.8%, followed by Poland at 9.7% and Estonia at 9.5%. The smallest increases were recorded in Cyprus at 3.8%, Romania at 4.2%, and Slovenia at 4.6%. Despite experiencing one of the lowest annual increases, Sweden recorded the biggest monthly jumps in both diesel and petrol prices, while Cyprus remained below the EU average on the annual measure.
The surge in energy prices has contributed to rising consumer costs across Europe this year. Euro area inflation reached 3.3% in August, primarily driven by energy costs. Last week, the Bank of Italy projected that oil prices would average $114 a barrel in the final quarter of 2026. Eurostat is expected to release additional price data in the upcoming weeks. Fuel expenses continue to be a critical factor impacting household budgets and transport firms alike.