Bulgaria experienced the European Union’s steepest annual increase in fuel prices in September 2026, with a significant rise of 42.2% in prices for fuels and lubricants used in personal transport compared to the same month in the previous year. This data positions Bulgaria at the forefront of fuel price hikes within the EU, as reported in recent statistics.
Following Bulgaria, Estonia and Lithuania saw notable annual increases as well, with fuel prices climbing by 40.6% and 40.2%, respectively. In contrast, Hungary witnessed the smallest annual increase at 6.9%, with Ireland and Sweden experiencing rises of 17.7% and 19.9% respectively, according to the same report.
Overall, the EU faced a 31.4% surge in fuel prices year-on-year in September. This marked an acceleration from previous months, with increases of 16.9% in July and 23.8% in August. On a monthly basis, diesel prices across the EU rose by 5.9%, while petrol prices increased by 6.7% from August to September. Among EU countries, Sweden recorded the most substantial monthly increases in both diesel and petrol prices, with respective rises of 12.8% and 13.8%.
In Bulgaria, fuel prices have shown a significant upward trend since February 2026. The average price of A95 petrol increased from €1.26 per litre on February 27 to €1.65 by October 21, while diesel prices rose from €1.29 to €1.91 per litre during the same period. These figures highlight the broader trend of rising fuel costs across the EU, with Bulgaria at the forefront of these increases.