In September 2026, Bulgaria experienced the most significant annual increase in fuel prices across the European Union, with costs for fuels and lubricants used in personal transport surging by 42.2% compared to the same month the previous year. This notable rise places Bulgaria at the forefront of fuel price hikes within the EU, where the average increase was recorded at 31.4% year-on-year.
Following closely behind Bulgaria, Estonia reported a 40.6% increase, while Lithuania saw a 40.2% rise in fuel prices. Conversely, Hungary recorded the smallest annual hike at 6.9%, with Ireland and Sweden reporting increases of 17.7% and 19.9%, respectively.
The trend of rising fuel costs was evident across the EU, accelerating from 16.9% in July to 23.8% in August before reaching 31.4% in September. On a month-to-month basis, diesel prices increased by 5.9% and petrol prices by 6.7% from August to September, with Sweden experiencing the largest monthly spikes—diesel surged by 12.8% and petrol by 13.8%.
Bulgaria’s fuel price escalation has been pronounced since February 2026. The average price of A95 petrol rose from €1.26 per litre on February 27 to €1.65 by October 21. Similarly, the price of diesel increased from €1.29 to €1.91 per litre over the same period, reflecting broader trends in the region.
