Bulgaria experienced the European Union’s steepest annual fuel price increase in September 2026, with prices for fuels and lubricants used in personal transport surging by 42.2% compared to the same month the previous year. This significant rise placed Bulgaria at the forefront of the EU’s fuel price hikes, ahead of Estonia and Lithuania, which saw increases of 40.6% and 40.2%, respectively.
The overall trend across the EU showed a significant rise as well, with fuel prices increasing by 31.4% year-on-year in September. This growth marked an acceleration from earlier months, with a 16.9% increase in July and 23.8% in August. Among the EU countries, Hungary recorded the smallest annual increase in fuel prices at 6.9%, followed by Ireland at 17.7% and Sweden at 19.9%.
On a monthly basis, between August and September, the EU experienced a 5.9% rise in diesel prices and a 6.7% increase in petrol prices. Sweden reported the highest monthly increases, with diesel prices shooting up by 12.8% and petrol prices climbing by 13.8%.
In Bulgaria, the upward trend in fuel prices has been noticeable since February 2026. The average price of A95 petrol rose significantly, from €1.26 per litre on February 27 to €1.65 by October 21. Similarly, diesel prices increased from €1.29 to €1.91 per litre during the same period.