Greece is in the unenviable “top 10” of countries with the most expensive unleaded gasoline worldwide, out of no less than 168 markets surveyed, with the average price for a liter of petrol costing 1,991 euros, according to data collected up to Aug. 28, 2023.
At the same time, other “top 10” countries, such as Monte Carlo, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Denmark and Switzerland have significantly higher per capita annual income levels.
A breakdown of the stratospheric gas price in Greece reveals that the VAT rate for fuel – dating from a previous SYRIZA government’s ‘tax tsunami’ in 2016 – totals 24 percent. A “special consumption tax” also imposed on gasoline and diesel costs 700 and 410 euros per 1,000 liters, respectively. The VAT rate on LPG is 430 euros per 1,000 kg.
For example, on Aug. 24, 2023, and according to data supplied by a price observatory in the country, the refinery price of 95-octane unleaded gasoline stood at 0.7656 euros per liter. Taxes, the special consumption fee and other charges tacked on another 1.1021 euros per liter. The pricey end result was an average retail price for 95-octane unleaded gasoline of 1.9910 euros per liter on Friday, Aug. 25.
