In September 2026, Bulgaria experienced the highest annual increase in fuel prices within the European Union, with a staggering 42.2% rise in costs for fuels and lubricants used in personal transport compared to the same month the previous year. This significant surge places Bulgaria ahead of Estonia and Lithuania, which reported increases of 40.6% and 40.2%, respectively.
Overall, fuel prices across the EU saw a 31.4% increase year-on-year in September, marking an acceleration from the 16.9% rise in July and 23.8% in August. On a month-to-month basis, diesel prices in the EU climbed by 5.9% and petrol by 6.7% between August and September, with Sweden recording the most notable monthly hikes of 12.8% for diesel and 13.8% for petrol.
Among EU nations, Hungary reported the smallest annual increase in fuel prices at 6.9%, followed by Ireland at 17.7% and Sweden at 19.9%. These figures highlight the varied impact of fuel price inflation across the region.
In Bulgaria, the upward trend in fuel prices has been particularly pronounced since February 2026. Data indicates that the average price of A95 petrol rose from €1.26 per litre on February 27 to €1.65 by October 21, while diesel prices saw an increase from €1.29 to €1.91 per litre over the same period.