{"id":686253,"date":"2023-05-15T16:56:12","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T14:56:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=686253"},"modified":"2023-05-15T16:56:12","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T14:56:12","slug":"how-much-south-africans-spend-on-petrol-vs-the-uk-switzerland-usa-and-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/motoring\/686253\/how-much-south-africans-spend-on-petrol-vs-the-uk-switzerland-usa-and-others\/","title":{"rendered":"How much South Africans spend on petrol vs the UK, Switzerland, USA, and others"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although South African petrol prices are lower than in other countries, South Africans spend a larger proportion of their income on petrol compared to most other nations.<\/p>\n

According to globalpetrolprices.com<\/a>, South Africans currently pay R22.98 per litre of petrol – this number is calculated by averaging the inland price (R23.34) and coastal price (R22.62) for a litre of 95 unleaded in South Africa.<\/p>\n

This puts South African petrol prices at 95 out of the 168 countries covered by globalpetrolprices.com, which is cheaper than nine additional countries compared to last year when we ranked 86th.<\/p>\n

All the provided figures are correct as of 01 May 2023.<\/p>\n

The top fifteen countries with the highest fuel prices are listed in the table below (all prices were provided in Rands).<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Rank<\/th>\nCountry<\/th>\nPetrol price per litre in ZAR<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\nHong Kong<\/td>\n54.68<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nIceland<\/td>\n42.58<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nMonaco<\/td>\n42.18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nCentral African Republic<\/td>\n40.16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nFinland<\/td>\n40.02<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nDenmark<\/td>\n39.69<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nNorway<\/td>\n39.14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nGreece<\/td>\n38.20<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n38.16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nBarbados<\/td>\n37.76<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nSwitzerland<\/td>\n37.48<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\n37.41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nNetherlands<\/td>\n37.24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nMayotte<\/td>\n37.18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15<\/td>\nGermany<\/td>\n36.43<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
27<\/td>\nUnited Kingdom (UK)<\/td>\n33.58<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
95<\/td>\nSouth Africa<\/td>\n22.98<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Notably, many countries that pay a significant amount for petrol – especially those in Europe – depend on Russian oil. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has devasted global energy supply chains, resulting in much higher fuel prices. However, this has somewhat dampened in contrast to 2022.<\/p>\n

Africa has not been immune to this, either, with South Africa through to the Central African Republic, a net gasoline importer, paying more for petrol.<\/p>\n

Switzerland, Norway, and Luxembourg, on the other hand, are nations that are incredibly oil-rich but charge a significant amount for petrol. This is because the fuel in the Nordic country is highly taxed.<\/p>\n

Moreover, these nations are highly invested in electric cars \u2013 four of five new vehicles are electric \u2013 and high fuel prices incentivise consumers away from petrol-fuelled vehicles.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Hong Kong and Monaco are both city-states that rely on refined fuel imports and thus pay a lot more for petrol.<\/p>\n

\n

Proportional spend<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although many countries spend more per litre of petrol, not all of them pay a greater proportion of their yearly earnings on fuel than South Africans.<\/p>\n

Below is a table of the average annual earnings in OECD countries<\/a> after tax (2022), converted to rands, and split across 365 days for the daily average:<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Country<\/th>\nAnnual earnings local currency<\/th>\nAnnual earnings in ZAR<\/th>\nDaily-earnings in ZAR<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Switzerland<\/td>\n82 202 Swiss Francs<\/td>\n1 753 210<\/td>\n4 803<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Iceland<\/td>\n7\u00a0869\u00a0300 Ice Kronas<\/td>\n1 083 551<\/td>\n2 969<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Luxembourg<\/td>\n47\u00a0639 Euros<\/td>\n989 952<\/td>\n2 712<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
USA<\/td>\n48\u00a0793 Dollars<\/td>\n932 390<\/td>\n2 554<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Australia<\/td>\n72\u00a0910 Aus Dollars<\/td>\n931 321<\/td>\n2 551<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Norway<\/td>\n483 940 Nor Krones<\/td>\n866 697<\/td>\n2 374<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Netherlands<\/td>\n41\u00a0556 Euros<\/td>\n863 545<\/td>\n2 365<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Canada<\/td>\n60\u00a0784 Can Dollars<\/td>\n859 527<\/td>\n2 354<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Denmark<\/td>\n301\u00a0933 Dan Krones<\/td>\n842 755<\/td>\n2 308<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ireland<\/td>\n39\u00a0616 Euros<\/td>\n823 260<\/td>\n2 255<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
UK<\/td>\n33\u00a0827 Pounds<\/td>\n808 610<\/td>\n2 215<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Austria<\/td>\n35\u00a0837 Euros<\/td>\n744 703<\/td>\n2 040<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Israel<\/td>\n139\u00a0601 Isr Shekels<\/td>\n728 584<\/td>\n1 996<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Finland<\/td>\n34\u00a0971 Euros<\/td>\n726 707<\/td>\n1 991<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Germany<\/td>\n34\u00a0438 Euros<\/td>\n715 631<\/td>\n1 960<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sweden<\/td>\n374\u00a0517 Swe Krona<\/td>\n689 467<\/td>\n1 889<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Belgium<\/td>\n33\u00a0006 Euros<\/td>\n685 874<\/td>\n1 879<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New Zealand<\/td>\n56 374 NZ Dollars<\/td>\n667 865<\/td>\n1 829<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
France<\/td>\n30\u00a0052 Euros<\/td>\n624 489<\/td>\n1 710<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
South Korea<\/td>\n41\u00a0888\u00a0689 Won<\/td>\n598 046<\/td>\n1 638<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Japan<\/td>\n4 004 449 Yen<\/td>\n561 018<\/td>\n1 537<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Italy<\/td>\n24\u00a0102 Euros<\/td>\n500 846<\/td>\n1 372<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Spain<\/td>\n22 294 Euros<\/td>\n463 276<\/td>\n1 269<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estonia<\/td>\n16\u00a0319 Euros<\/td>\n339 113<\/td>\n929<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Czech Republic<\/td>\n380\u00a0699 Cze Koruna<\/td>\n334 490<\/td>\n916<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Portugal<\/td>\n15\u00a0526 Euros<\/td>\n322 635<\/td>\n883<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Slovenia<\/td>\n15\u00a0495 Euros<\/td>\n321 990<\/td>\n882<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Greece<\/td>\n15\u00a0335 Euros<\/td>\n318 666<\/td>\n873<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chile<\/td>\n10\u00a0688\u00a0392 Chi Pesos<\/td>\n259 965<\/td>\n712<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Poland<\/td>\n56 349 Zloty<\/td>\n259 501<\/td>\n711<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Slovak Republic<\/td>\n11\u00a0769 Euros<\/td>\n244 563<\/td>\n670<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hungary<\/td>\n4 208 193 Forint<\/td>\n236 286<\/td>\n647<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mexico<\/td>\n137 204 Mex Peso<\/td>\n148 939<\/td>\n408<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Turkey<\/td>\n101 304 Tur Lira<\/td>\n98 412<\/td>\n270<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

South Africa is not an OECD nation, so we have taken the most recent data from the BankservAfrica Take-home Pay Index<\/a>, which puts the average South African’s pay after tax at R15,321 a month or R504 a day.<\/p>\n

This data should also present South Africa in a better light as the other countries mentioned in the table only have income stats from the end of last year, which will be lower than this year as it has not been adjusted for inflation.<\/p>\n

When expressed as a percentage of daily income, it’s clear that South Africa, despite having a relatively lower local fuel price, spends far more on petrol than most other OECD nations at 4.56% of daily income \u2013 putting the country in the top five most expensive countries.<\/p>\n

Turkey, Mexico, Hungary, and the Slovak Republic are the only countries that spend a larger proportion of their salaries on fuel than South Africans, with Turkey the highest at 7.16%.<\/p>\n

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the USA has the lowest proportional spend, at just 0.74%.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Country<\/th>\nDaily-earnings in ZAR<\/th>\nPetrol price per litre in ZAR<\/th>\n% of income<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Turkey<\/td>\n270<\/td>\n19.34<\/td>\n7.16%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mexico<\/td>\n408<\/td>\n24.82<\/td>\n6.08%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hungary<\/td>\n647<\/td>\n31.39<\/td>\n4.85%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Slovak Republic<\/td>\n670<\/td>\n31.55<\/td>\n4.70%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
South Africa<\/strong><\/td>\n504<\/strong><\/td>\n22.98<\/strong><\/td>\n4.56%\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Greece<\/td>\n873<\/td>\n38.20<\/td>\n4.36%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chile<\/td>\n712<\/td>\n29.85<\/td>\n4.19%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Poland<\/td>\n711<\/td>\n29.57<\/td>\n4.16%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Portugal<\/td>\n883<\/td>\n33.70<\/td>\n3.82%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Estonia<\/td>\n929<\/td>\n34.52<\/td>\n3.72%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Czech Republic<\/td>\n916<\/td>\n32.23<\/td>\n3.52%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Slovenia<\/td>\n882<\/td>\n28.73<\/td>\n3.26%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Italy<\/td>\n1 372<\/td>\n37.41<\/td>\n2.73%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Spain<\/td>\n1 269<\/td>\n32.63<\/td>\n2.64%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
France<\/td>\n1 710<\/td>\n38.16<\/td>\n2.23%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Finland<\/td>\n1 991<\/td>\n40.02<\/td>\n2.06%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sweden<\/td>\n1 889<\/td>\n35.38<\/td>\n1.87%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Germany<\/td>\n1 960<\/td>\n36.43<\/td>\n1.85%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Belgium<\/td>\n1 879<\/td>\n34.52<\/td>\n1.84%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Israel<\/td>\n1 996<\/td>\n35.56<\/td>\n1.78%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Denmark<\/td>\n2 308<\/td>\n39.70<\/td>\n1.72%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Norway<\/td>\n2 374<\/td>\n39.14<\/td>\n1.64%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
New Zealand<\/td>\n1 829<\/td>\n29.85<\/td>\n1.63%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Austria<\/td>\n2 040<\/td>\n32.57<\/td>\n1.59%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Netherlands<\/td>\n2 365<\/td>\n37.24<\/td>\n1.57%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
UK<\/td>\n2 215<\/td>\n33.58<\/td>\n1.52%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Japan<\/td>\n1 537<\/td>\n22.73<\/td>\n1.48%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ireland<\/td>\n2 255<\/td>\n33.05<\/td>\n1.47%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Iceland<\/td>\n2 969<\/td>\n42.58<\/td>\n1.43%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
South Korea<\/td>\n1 638<\/td>\n23.07<\/td>\n1.41%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Luxembourg<\/td>\n2 712<\/td>\n31.59<\/td>\n1.16%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Canada<\/td>\n2 354<\/td>\n24.22<\/td>\n1.05%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Australia<\/td>\n2 551<\/td>\n20.92<\/td>\n0.82%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Switzerland<\/td>\n4 803<\/td>\n37.49<\/td>\n0.78%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
USA<\/td>\n2 554<\/td>\n18.95<\/td>\n0.74%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

All conversions were done at the respective currency\/ZAR exchange rates on 15 May 2023.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Read: Bleak outlook for petrol prices in South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is how South Africa’s petrol price compares to the rest of the world. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":646995,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11119],"tags":[26],"class_list":["post-686253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-motoring","tag-headline"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/686253","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=686253"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/686253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":688165,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/686253\/revisions\/688165"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/646995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=686253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=686253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=686253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}