Overview
Two costs shape the budget of any drive from Ukraine into the European Union: what you pay at the pump and what you pay in road tolls. This week Hungary is the cheapest country in our comparison, with diesel at approximately €1.704 per litre, while Ukraine sits in the middle of the list at approximately €2.114. The most effective habit is simple: fill the tank in the cheaper country immediately before you cross into a more expensive one. Our fuel prices are refreshed every week, so this ranking can change — check the live page for the current numbers before you leave.
Where fuel is cheapest right now
The table below lists the twelve cheapest countries in the current comparison, ranked by diesel. All figures are approximate and were converted to euro so that countries can be compared side by side. Fuel figures were updated on 17 August 2026.
| # | Country | Diesel €/l | Petrol 95 €/l | LPG €/l |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 1.704 | 1.553 | 0.88 |
| 2 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1.73 | 1.47 | — |
| 3 | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 1.77 | 1.72 | 0.79 |
| 4 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 1.813 | 1.571 | — |
| 5 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1.87 | 1.73 | 1.09 |
| 6 | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 1.87 | 1.75 | — |
| 7 | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 1.90 | 1.74 | 0.91 |
| 8 | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 1.90 | 1.61 | — |
| 9 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 1.99 | 1.78 | — |
| 10 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 1.99 | 1.72 | 0.74 |
| 11 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 1.995 | 1.812 | 0.693 |
| 12 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 2.02 | 2.05 | — |
Note: prices are approximate and EUR-converted for comparison; the live fuel prices page shows current native-currency numbers per country and city. In local money the same week reads 673.6 HUF per litre of diesel in Hungary and 8.49 PLN in Poland. LPG follows a different order: Poland at approximately €0.693 and Croatia at approximately €0.74 show the lowest autogas prices in the data.
Smart fuelling strategy
Fill up before the expensive leg. The largest saving comes from planning your last refuel in the cheaper country. Diesel in Poland is approximately €1.995 per litre. Diesel in Germany is approximately €2.285. Arriving at that border crossing with an almost empty tank and filling it on the Polish side is the practical version of this rule. The same logic applies before Denmark, Switzerland or Norway, which are the most expensive countries in the data.
If your route avoids the cheap countries, top off in Ukraine. Ukrainian diesel is approximately €2.114 per litre. That is cheaper than Italy, France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway. If none of the low-price countries lie on your corridor, leave Ukraine with a full tank.
Stay off the motorway forecourts. Gas stations directly on motorways charge 15–20% more than stations in nearby towns. A five-minute detour off the exit is usually enough to avoid that surcharge. You will see the German word Tankstelle on the signs in Austria and Germany, and the rule is identical one border further: a filling station in Slovenia in a town, rather than on the motorway, is the cheaper stop, with the national diesel figure at approximately €1.90.
Use supermarket stations in Western Europe. Stations attached to large supermarkets are almost always the cheapest in their area. This matters most where the national figures are high, for example in France at approximately €2.21 for diesel, and it also helps in Spain at approximately €1.87.
Check the Balkan corridor separately. Drivers heading south should compare before entering the region. The petrol prices in Bulgaria are approximately €1.571 for petrol 95, one of the lower figures in the comparison. Drivers continuing further can look up the Macedonia fuel prices on the country page before the border crossing. If your car runs on autogas, note that Italy shows LPG at approximately €0.77 even though its diesel is approximately €2.12.
Plan the money side as well as the fuel. Cards are accepted at almost all EU stations, but small stations, toll booths and roadside kiosks may still ask for cash. Check the UAH, PLN and EUR rates in the currency calculator before you exchange money at or near the border crossing.
Tolls and vignettes across Europe
Vignette countries — buy a digital pass before you cross
A vignette is a pre-paid digital pass that allows you to use the motorway network. You buy it online before you cross, and enforcement cameras read your license plate. There is no sticker to attach and no booth to stop at. Buy only from the official national site listed below. Most vignette countries sell a 1-day transit pass, which is enough if you are only driving through. Toll and vignette data was updated on 6 September 2026.
| Country | Cheapest transit pass | Buy online |
|---|---|---|
| 🇷🇴 Romania | 3.50 EUR — 1 day | roviniete.ro |
| 🇲🇩 Moldova | 4.00 EUR — 7 days (no 1-day option) | evinieta.gov.md |
| 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 4.09 EUR — 1 day | bgtoll.bg |
| 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 8.10 EUR — 1 day | eznamka.sk |
| 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 9.20 EUR — 1 day | edalnice.cz |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | 9.60 EUR — 1 day | shop.asfinag.at |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | 14.00 EUR — 1 day | nemzetiutdij.hu |
| 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 16.00 EUR — 7 days (no 1-day option) | evinjeta.dars.si |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 42.50 CHF — annual only (no 1-day option) | e-vignette.ch |
Read the duration column carefully. Three countries in this week's data do not sell a 1-day pass. Moldova starts at 7 days, Slovenia starts at 7 days, and Switzerland sells an annual vignette only. For a single transit you still pay the full listed price. This detail changes from week to week, so confirm it on the live page before you buy.
Pay-per-kilometre (toll booths)
In ticket-system countries you take a ticket when you enter the motorway and pay at the exit booth, in cash or by card. There is nothing to buy in advance. Serbia uses a ticket on entry and payment on exit. Italy uses the same system and operates one of the most expensive networks in Europe. France applies a ticket and barrier system on most motorways (autoroutes) and is expensive, so budget for it. Croatia also charges on exit and applies higher tariffs in the summer season. Portugal mixes classic toll booths with electronic-only motorways, so obtain a transponder (Via Verde) for the electronic-only roads. Poland keeps state motorways free for cars, while the private A1, A2 and A4 concessions charge at booths or through the Autopay application. Of this group, Italy, France and Croatia are the most expensive.
Toll-free for cars
Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands charge no motorway toll for passenger cars. Rare tunnel and bridge exceptions still apply. Being toll-free does not make a country cheap overall: German diesel is approximately €2.285 per litre, so the saving on the road toll is partly offset at the pump.
Plan your trip
Plan the refuelling stops before departure, not at the wheel. Identify the cheapest country on your route and arrive there with a low tank. Use the route planner to lay out the drive and to see which vignette countries you actually pass through.
Add fuel and road toll expenses together in the trip cost calculator to get a realistic total before you go. Buy every vignette online from the official site a day in advance, so you avoid border queues at the sales points near the crossing. Finally, remember that fuel prices are updated weekly and the ranking above can change, so confirm the current numbers on the live page before your final stop.
Useful tools
- Live Fuel Prices Across Europe — country & city prices, updated regularly
- European Vignettes & Tolls — e-vignette prices and official links
- Route Planner — plan your drive with fuel and toll stops
- Car Drivers Portal — all driving tools in one place
- Trip Cost Calculator — estimate fuel, toll and total trip expenses
- Currency Calculator — UAH, PLN, EUR and more live rates
Source: nakordoni.eu — Fuel Prices & Tolls | Updated: 09.09.2026