Drivers in Germany pay some of the highest prices in Europe for petrol and diesel, new figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) have shown. 

Petrol and diesel cost 2,06 euros per litre in Germany on April 4

On April 4, a litre of either diesel or super E5 petrol cost an average of 2,06 euros in Germany, making the federal republic one of the most expensive countries in Europe in which to buy fuel. On that day, the price of diesel was highest in Germany, and the price of petrol was only higher in Finland, the Netherlands and Denmark. 

Diesel prices are much lower in neighbouring countries like Poland, where a litre was 45 cents cheaper on April 4. Luxembourg (1,76 euros), Austria (1,84 euros) and France (1,89 euros) all also benefit from lower diesel costs. The cheapest diesel in Europe can be found in Malta (1,21 euros per litre) and Hungary (1,42 euros). 

Petrol prices are also significantly lower in Germany’s neighbouring countries. Once again, drivers might be tempted to head over to Poland to fill up, with a litre of premium petrol costing just 1,42 euros across the border. In Austria (1,72 euros), Luxembourg (1,73 euros), Czechia (1,81 euros) and France (1,83 euros), the prices are also lower. 

Significant proportion of price of fuel in Germany is taxes

“Petrol and diesel have recently been significantly more expensive at German petrol stations than in most of Germany’s direct neighbours,” Destatis concluded in its comparison, which was based on figures from the EU Commission and the Market Transparency Unit for Fuels at the Federal Cartel Office. 

A key reason for the difference in price is taxes. According to figures from ADAC, around 48 percent of the price of petrol in Germany ends up in the state’s pocket, while for diesel it’s around 39 percent. The rest of the price is determined by the cost of crude oil, processing costs, fees for transporting it to Germany, and the CO2 tax.