FuelWide

IrelandvsUnited Kingdom

Which side to fill up on · petrol 95 · week of 2026-07-20
Ireland is cheaper
€0.06/L

3.7% less than United Kingdom — that is €3.20 on a 50-litre tank.

Per litre Ireland United KingdomDifference
Petrol 95
€1.72
€1.78
€0.06 · €3.20/tank
Diesel
€1.70
€1.96
€0.26 · €13.10/tank
LPG
Pump prices including all duties and taxes · also $7.41 vs $7.68 per US gallon for petrol.

Where the €0.06 gap comes from

Petrol is the same product on both sides of this border, refined from the same crude. Stripping duty and VAT out of both pump prices shows how much of the difference is fuel — and how much is politics.

Difference at the pump
€0.06
what you actually pay
Difference in the fuel
€0.07
before duty and VAT
Difference in tax
€-0.01
0% of the whole gap

0% of what you save by crossing into Ireland is tax you are not paying, not cheaper fuel. Before duty and VAT the two markets are within €0.07 a litre of each other.

Ireland
Petrol 95€0.79 product + €0.93 taxes = €1.72
product 46%duties & taxes 54%
United Kingdom
Petrol 95€0.87 product + €0.92 taxes = €1.78
product 49%duties & taxes 51%

Is the crossing worth it?

What you save by filling up in Ireland, against what the detour costs you at €1.72/L and 7 L/100 km.

Tank filledYou saveWorth a detour of
40 L€2.56up to 21 km round trip
50 L€3.20up to 27 km round trip
60 L€3.84up to 32 km round trip
70 L€4.48up to 37 km round trip
Break-even distance only — it ignores your time, tolls and wear. Detour further than this and you are paying for the privilege of a cheaper price.
All Ireland fuel prices →

Trends, tax breakdown, city pages and station maps for Ireland.

All United Kingdom fuel prices →

Trends, tax breakdown, city pages and station maps for United Kingdom.

Frequently asked questions

Is fuel cheaper in Ireland or United Kingdom?

Ireland is cheaper for petrol 95 — €1.72 per litre against €1.78 in United Kingdom, a difference of €0.06 per litre (3.7%). On a 50-litre tank that is €3.20 saved.

How much do I save filling up in Ireland?

€3.20 on a 50-litre tank, €4.48 on a 70-litre one. Weigh that against the detour: if crossing costs you 20 extra kilometres, roughly €2.41 of that saving goes straight back into the tank.

Why is fuel cheaper in Ireland than United Kingdom?

0% of the €0.06 gap is tax, not fuel. Before duty and VAT the two countries' petrol differs by only €0.07 per litre — the rest is excise duty and VAT set differently either side of the border.

How current are these prices?

Both sides are 2026-07-20 national averages including all duties and taxes — European Commission — Weekly Oil Bulletin for Ireland and gov.uk — Weekly Road Fuel Prices for United Kingdom. Individual stations vary around the average, and forecourts right at a border crossing routinely price above it precisely because they can.