National averages, city comparisons, and the weekly price cycle
National average unleaded petrol price (cents per litre), 2004 to 2026. Key events that drove price spikes and crashes are annotated.
2026 average unleaded petrol price by capital city, sorted highest to lowest. Darwin leads at 215 c/L while Adelaide is cheapest at 193 c/L.
ABS Consumer Price Index for automotive fuel (category 40081, base = 100) by capital city. Tracks quarterly price movements across all major cities.
Typical weekly petrol price cycle in Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane (ACCC data). Cycle length varies — some weeks 7 days, others 10-14 days. WA has a regulated Tuesday cycle via FuelWatch. Adelaide/Hobart/Darwin have less predictable patterns.
Prices typically bottom out mid-week. Filling up on Thursday instead of Sunday could save you ~15 c/L, or about $8 on a 55L tank.
See how much it costs to fill your tank at today's prices compared to the cheapest city and the 2020 COVID low.
Weekly fuel cost (40L at national average) as a percentage of average weekly earnings. The COVID dip made fuel historically cheap, but prices have since surged past pre-pandemic levels.
Fill up on Tuesday to Thursday when prices are at their lowest. Avoid weekends when prices peak. This alone can save $5-10 per tank.
Stack fuel discounts from supermarket loyalty programs (Woolworths, Coles). A 4c/L discount on a 55L tank saves $2.20 every fill.
Maintain steady speeds, keep tyres inflated, remove roof racks when not in use. Efficient driving can cut fuel consumption by 10-20%.
Electric vehicles cost ~$3-4 per 100km vs ~$18 for petrol. Calculate your potential savings with our trip cost calculator.
Government-regulated. Stations must lock in tomorrow's price by 2pm daily.
Real-time prices from all NSW stations. Must update within 30 minutes of price change.
Mandatory reporting. Stations must update prices within 30 minutes.
Mandatory since 2018. Real-time prices from all Queensland stations.