Fuel crisis

The fuel crisis

What's it actually costing your household?

Pick your cars and how far you drive. We'll show how much more you're paying than this time last year.

Petrol, a litre$2.54 → $2.97+43c
Diesel, a litre$1.85 → $2.67+82c
91 at the pump now$3.54national average

Your cars

Car 1
A nibble, not a bite.The fuel crisis is costing your household about$449

extra a year compared with a year ago. Noticeable, but you're getting off lightly.

Save image
a yearA year agoNow
Car 1: Family car1040 L, petrol$2,636$3,086+$449
Fuel spend$2,636$3,086

That extra money is like…

3extra tanks50 litres each
74flat whitesat about $6
69mince & cheese piesat about $6.50
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How NZ compares with the world

Regular petrol, a litre, in NZ dollars, and what your driving would cost a year there.
29thmost expensive petrol of 133 countries28% above the world average of $2.81 a litre
  • Hong Kong$7.79$8,105$4,346 more
  • Norway$5.52$5,740$1,980 more
  • Denmark$5.13$5,336$1,577 more
  • Netherlands$4.80$4,988$1,229 more
  • Israel$4.60$4,786$1,027 more
  • Switzerland$4.50$4,676$917 more
  • United Kingdom$4.09$4,254$495 more
  • New Zealand$3.61$3,759your year
  • Australia$2.87$2,989$770 less
  • South Korea$2.49$2,586$1,174 less
  • Fiji$2.47$2,567$1,192 less
  • China$2.43$2,531$1,229 less
  • United States$2.17$2,255$1,504 less
  • Japan$1.90$1,980$1,779 less

DailyFuels country directory, 19 Oct 2026 (133 countries), converted to NZ$ at today's exchange rate.

How we worked it out

  • Litres come from how far each car drives and typical fuel use for that kind of car.
  • Prices are MBIE's national average after discounts, the first week of September last year against this year, so it compares like with like.
  • Diesel vehicles also pay road user charges, which haven't changed, so they aren't counted.
  • The In-Work Tax Credit top-up ends by 31 March 2027, or sooner if 91 stays under $3 a litre for four weeks in a row.

Estimates only. MBIE weekly fuel price monitoring (adjusted retail price, early Sep 2025 vs early Sep 2026; 91 board price week ending 11 Oct 2026). IRD In-Work Tax Credit top-up. NZTA road user charges ($76 per 1,000 km for light diesel and electric vehicles).