South Africans are paying up to R81.60 less to fill up their tanks than they were three months ago.
The first two months of 2026 both saw a welcome reduction in the price of petrol and diesel, resulting in much-needed relief for consumers.
This February alone saw a drop of 65c per litre for petrol while diesel priced were reduced by up to 57c per litre.
Thanks to these continued improvements, petrol prices are at their lowest point in four years.
A 3-month improvement
TopAuto compared the petrol price between November 2025 and February 2026 to determine how much petrol prices have declined over a three-month period.
Prior to the start of the festive season in November last year, petrol was retailing for R21.12 per litre at inland rates.
Unfortunately, this increased to R21.41 per litre following a 29c price hike in December, raising costs for motorists travelling for the holidays.
Fortunately, this small increase was more than offset by January’s over-recovery for fuel prices, as petrol dropped by 66c while diesel saw a substantial dip of 150c per litre.
February was initially projected to continue this momentum with a R1.15 cut for petrol and R1.63 for diesel, though we ultimately saw a smaller reduction of 65c and 57c, respectively.
February’s reduced over-recovery is primarily attributed to the global oil price, which fluctuated over the course of January due to major geopolitical events, such as the United States’ intervention in Venezuela, the dispute over Greenland, and the escalating situation in the Middle East with Iran.
In any case, fuel prices are now at their lowest point since early 2022, prior to multiple alarming hikes that raised petrol prices to an all-time high of R26.31 in July that year.
Factoring in all of the fuel price adjustments over the last three months, this is how much it costs to fill up different tank sizes in November 2025 compared to the latest price as of February 2026:
| Tank size | Cost to refill in November 2025 (R21.12) | Cost to refill in February 2026 (R20.10) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 litres | R633.60 | R603 | – R30.60 |
| 40 litres | R844.80 | R804 | – R40.80 |
| 50 litres | R1,056 | R1,005 | – R51 |
| 60 litres | R1,267.20 | R1,206 | – R61.20 |
| 70 litres | R1,478.40 | R1,407 | – R71.40 |
| 80 litres | R1,689.60 | R1,608 | – R81.60 |
Individuals with small cars are saving around R30 per refill, while those with larger SUVs and bakkies are spending R81 less with every trip to the pump.
While the savings may seem small overall, it’s an important reduction for a country where the vast majority of citizens earn less than R15,000 per month.
It’s also particularly relevant for e-hailing drivers, who have razor-thin margins, and those who rely on the minibus taxi industry as their primary form of transport.
Loading ...
