The Petrol Price in South Africa and around the world

This infographic shows that while the price of petrol in South Africa fluctuates, the elements that make up the cost of a litre of unleaded (the basic fuel price and state levy, the tax we pay and the margin made by distributers and retailers) remain constant.

In actual terms, the graphic shows that while petrol is cheaper in South Africa than it is in many other countries, we pay significantly more than the inhabitants of Venezuela which boasts the world’s cheapest petrol.

A comparison of petrol prices in relation to daily wages finds that a litre of unleaded costs the average South African wage earner a striking 7.1% of their daily earnings. The disparity between average incomes around the world provides a clear focus on the real cost of petrol – even though Italians will pay almost twice as much as South Africans when they fill their cars, a litre of fuel will only cost them 2.5% of their average daily wage.