Eurostat: Bulgaria had EU’s highest increase in fuel prices in August 2026
Bulgaria had the highest increase on annual basis in fuel prices in the European Union in August 2026, at 34.5 per cent, EU statistics agency Eurostat said on September 22.
In August 2026, the price of fuels and lubricants for personal transport in the EU increased by 23.8 per cent compared with August 2025. This followed year-on-year increases of 13.7 per cent in June and 16.9 per cent in July.
In 26 of the 27 EU countries, fuels and lubricants prices were higher in August 2026, compared with August 2025. August annual increases were higher than those in July 2026 in 26 EU countries and higher than in June in 24 countries.
In August 2026, compared with August 2025, 18 EU countries recorded price increases higher than 20 per cent. The highest increases were recorded in Bulgaria (+34.5 per cent), Lithuania (+28.8 per cent), Finland (+27.6 per cent), Germany (+27.5 per cent) and France (+27.4 per cent). The lowest price increases were recorded in Hungary (+1.3 per cent), Sweden (+6.1 per cent) and Ireland (+11.7 per cent).
On a monthly basis, in August 2026, EU consumers saw diesel prices increase by 8.3 per cent and petrol by 3.3 per cent, compared with the previous month. In July 2026, diesel prices increased by 4.3 per cent, and petrol by 4.7 per cent relative to June 2026.
Between July and August 2026, diesel prices increased in 26 EU countries. The highest increases were registered in Czechia (+14.3 per cent), Bulgaria (13.5 per cent) and Luxembourg (12.3 per cent). The lowest increases were in Italy (+5.2 per cent), Romania (+6.1 per cent) and the Netherlands (+6.2 per cent).
When it comes to petrol prices, 22 countries recorded increases in prices between July and August 2026, 3 countries recorded decreases, while in the remaining 2 countries, the prices remained stable. The largest increases were in Spain (+8.2 per cent), Romania (+6.6 per cent), Italy (+6.3 per cent) and Cyprus (+6.2 per cent). Slight decreases were recorded in Hungary (-0.6 per cent), Denmark (-0.3 per cent) and Slovakia (-0.1 per cent).
