Average fuel cost per week in Australia

The best way to estimate your own fuel cost is to start with your weekly kilometres, litres per 100 kilometres, and the price you actually pay at the bowser. If you want a national benchmark, use scenarios rather than assuming one average weekly petrol bill fits every city commuter, family, or regional driver. For broader context on incomes and living costs, our cost of living guide is the best companion page.

What determines weekly fuel cost?

Four inputs usually matter most: fuel price per litre, weekly kilometres driven, vehicle efficiency, and the number of cars in the household. Timing also matters. In March 2026, the ACCC said average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities reached 219.7 cpl on 11 March 2026, up 48.8 cpl since 20 February, showing how quickly weekly budgets can move when the cycle turns.

The same city can also show very different pump prices depending on where you fill up and whether you buy at the top or bottom of the local price cycle. That is why two households driving similar kilometres can still end up with noticeably different weekly fuel bills.

Example weekly fuel spend scenarios

Why Australian averages can be misleading

A one-person household in an inner suburb with train access can have a very different fuel bill from a family running two cars in an outer suburb. That is why a headline average is useful only as background, not as a personal benchmark.

Even the broader household data needs care. ABS Household Expenditure Survey figures show transport as one of the largest spending categories for Australian households, at about $207 per week in 2015–16, but that covers far more than petrol alone and is dated. It is best read as context for why transport matters in household budgets, not as a current fuel-only benchmark.

Diesel versus unleaded, one car versus two, city pricing cycles versus regional pricing, and long school or work commutes all change the weekly number. If you are comparing moving options or city choices, the cost of living by city comparison helps put fuel into the broader transport picture.

How to calculate your own weekly fuel cost

Start with your normal weekly kilometres rather than a perfect week. Then check your vehicle's litres per 100 kilometres, add the fuel price you usually pay, and run the formula. If your driving pattern changes week to week, it is better to model a normal work week and then a heavier week separately.

The quickest way to do that is to use our fuel cost calculator, then compare the result against your monthly budget in the budget planner.

How fuel fits into a household budget

Petrol is only one part of transport spending, but it is the part that households feel most immediately when prices move. A higher bowser price can change what is left over for groceries, discretionary spending, or savings within the same fortnight.

That is why it helps to treat fuel as part of your wider cost-of-living plan, not as an isolated line item. If your fuel bill is becoming harder to absorb, compare it against the rest of your regular expenses in the living expenses calculator, then look at practical savings ideas in our fuel-saving scenarios guide.

Frequently asked questions

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