How much South Africa is paying for petrol vs Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, and USA

South Africans are paying roughly the same amount for petrol as the rest of the world, but the average salary here means locals are paying far more as a percentage of their income.

It costs nearly R23 for a single litre of petrol as of August 2023, making the trip to the pump a very costly endeavour for the average consumer.

To get a better sense of how expensive fuel really is in South Africa, relative to a typical salary, we looked at the prices that our biggest trade partners and comparable markets are paying, namely Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The cost of petrol

This is what each of the aforementioned nations is paying for petrol as of August 2023, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.

The USA is the winner here with the lowest price, which is largely due to its position as a major oil producer, as well as the fact the US dollar is the reverse currency to which global petroleum prices are linked.

The UK, on the other hand, is paying the most due to the effects of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the lack of Russian-produced oil in Europe.

New Zealand’s high prices are the result of fuel taxes that were suspended as a Covid relief measure being re-added, while Australia’s lower costs are attributed to its use of the cheaper 91 octane petrol rather than 93 or 95.

South Africa, meanwhile, appears to be right in the middle of the pack when it comes to fuel costs.

Of course, the cost of items doesn’t provide much useful information by itself; instead, it’s best to also look at the average salary to see which country is paying the most, relatively speaking:

The average salary earned by a formally-employed, non-agricultural worker in South Africa is around R25,304, according to BusinessTech.

This is what the average salary in the other countries looks like:

It should be noted, however, that average salary data should only be used as a baseline comparison, as it can be distorted by the earners on the highest and lowest ends of the spectrum.

The unfavourable rand exchange rate also paints these foreign currencies in a strong light, but it is worth pointing out that the cost of living in many of these countries is also much higher, which diminishes their relative purchasing power.

Even so, the above data shows South Africans are still paying a lot more for petrol relative to the average take-home salary than many other countries, while Australia appears to have the best deal with one of the lowest fuel prices and the highest average income.