Fuel Cost Calculator UAE 2026: Petrol & Diesel Costs by Car Model
Pick your car, enter your distance, get your cost — built around July 2026 UAE pump prices for Special 95, E-Plus 91, Super 98 and diesel
Fuel prices updated: 1st July 2026 · UAE prices change on the 1st of each month
Most fuel calculators ask you to enter your car's fuel efficiency in km/L. If you already knew that number, you probably would not be looking for a calculator. So this one lets you pick your car from a list instead, and it already knows what petrol costs in the UAE this month.
Enter a distance, choose your vehicle and fuel grade, and you get the cost in dirhams — for a one-off trip, a monthly commute, or a comparison between two cars you are deciding between.
Fuel Cost Calculator
Current UAE Fuel Prices
Prices are set nationally by the UAE Fuel Price Committee under the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. They are announced on the last day of each month and take effect on the 1st, and they do not vary between emirates or between petrol stations.
| Grade | Price per litre | Typically used by |
|---|---|---|
| E-Plus 91 | AED 3.21 | Fleets, older cars, most standard sedans |
| Special 95 | AED 3.29 | The default choice for most private cars |
| Super 98 | AED 3.40 | Performance engines and many European models |
| Diesel | AED 3.60 | Pickups, commercial vehicles, some large SUVs |
These are the rates for July 2026. Worth noting that this has been an unusually volatile stretch — prices climbed by more than 60% across four months before falling sharply on 1 July, so a figure you remember from earlier in the year is unlikely to still be accurate.
How the Calculation Works
The arithmetic is simple. Everything else is about getting good inputs.
Fuel cost = (distance ÷ fuel efficiency) × price per litre
A 300 km drive in a car returning 14 km/L uses 21.4 litres. At AED 3.29 that comes to AED 70.50.
The part people get wrong is the middle number. Manufacturer fuel figures are produced in laboratory conditions, and real-world UAE consumption typically runs 15–20% worse — mostly because the air conditioning is doing serious work for much of the year. The vehicle figures in the calculator above are real-world estimates with the AC running, which is why they sit below the numbers on the brochure.
Measuring your own efficiency
The most accurate number is your own, and getting it takes one tank:
- Fill the tank completely and reset the trip meter
- Drive normally until you next refuel
- Fill completely again and note the litres added
- Divide the kilometres on the trip meter by those litres
That gives your true km/L for how you actually drive. Repeat over two or three tanks and average them for a figure you can rely on. Most modern cars also show an average consumption readout, though these tend to be mildly optimistic.
What Fuel Actually Costs in the UAE
A daily Dubai commute
Sarah lives in International City and works in Dubai Marina — a 50 km round trip. Her Toyota Corolla returns about 15 km/L on that mix of highway and city driving, and she fills with Special 95.
- Daily: 50 ÷ 15 = 3.33 litres × AED 3.29 = AED 10.97
- Across 22 working days: AED 241
- Over a year: AED 2,896
Fuel alone, before parking, tolls or servicing. She budgets it alongside her car loan EMI to see the full monthly cost of the car.
A weekend drive to Fujairah
Ahmed takes the family from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah and back, roughly 280 km. His Nissan Patrol manages around 8 km/L fully loaded with the AC on.
- 280 ÷ 8 = 35 litres × AED 3.29 = AED 115
- Split four ways: AED 29 each
Reasonable for a day out, though the Patrol costs nearly double what a mid-size sedan would on the same road. Ahmed compares it against other options using a car vs Uber cost calculator.
A delivery driver's month
Mohammed covers about 2,000 km a month around Sharjah in a Mitsubishi Lancer averaging 12 km/L on E-Plus 91.
- 2,000 ÷ 12 = 166.7 litres × AED 3.21 = AED 535 a month
- Annually: AED 6,420
- Cost per kilometre: AED 0.27
That per-km figure is the useful one for him. It tells him what a job needs to pay to be worth taking, and it makes the case for a more efficient car concrete rather than vague. He is looking at options through Shaz Cars.
What Moves Your Consumption
Traffic. Stop-start city driving burns 20–30% more than steady highway cruising. Peak periods on Dubai's main arteries are where efficiency goes to die.
Air conditioning. Between June and September, running the AC hard adds roughly 15–25%. There is not much to be done about it, but it should be in your expectations rather than a surprise.
Maintenance. Under-inflated tyres cost up to 3%. A neglected car — dirty air filter, overdue service, poor alignment — can run 10–15% worse than a well-kept one. Tyre pressure is free to fix and worth checking monthly.
Driving style. Hard acceleration and late braking can add up to 40% in city conditions. Smoothness is worth more than any fuel additive on the shelf.
Weight and drag. Every 50 kg costs roughly 2%. A roof box is worse than its weight suggests because of the aerodynamic penalty.
Mistakes That Skew the Numbers
- Using the brochure figure. Real-world consumption runs 15–20% higher in UAE conditions.
- Forgetting the return leg. Trip planning is round-trip planning.
- Leaving out tolls. Salik and Darb are charged separately and can add meaningfully to an inter-emirate run.
- Assuming last month's price. Rates reset on the 1st, and recent moves have been large.
- Ignoring detours. Roadworks and closures add distance that never appears in the original plan.
Cutting the Bill
Combine errands into one trip — a cold engine is at its least efficient, so three short journeys cost more than one longer one covering the same ground. Use cruise control on open highway. Travel outside peak hours where you can. Keep tyres properly inflated and the car serviced. Take the roof box off when you are not using it.
If you are weighing up a change of car, the comparison tab above shows the fuel gap over a year and five years. Pair it with a car affordability calculator before deciding, since fuel is rarely the largest line in the total cost of running a vehicle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate fuel cost?
Divide the distance by your vehicle's fuel efficiency to get the litres required, then multiply by the price per litre. For a 300 km trip in a car returning 14 km/L at AED 3.29, that is 300 ÷ 14 = 21.4 litres, then 21.4 × 3.29 = AED 70.50.
What is the formula to calculate fuel cost?
Fuel cost = (distance ÷ fuel efficiency) × price per litre. If your car's consumption is expressed as L/100km instead of km/L, the formula becomes (distance ÷ 100) × L/100km × price per litre.
How much is 1 litre of fuel in the UAE?
For July 2026, E-Plus 91 is AED 3.21 per litre, Special 95 is AED 3.29, Super 98 is AED 3.40 and diesel is AED 3.60. Prices are identical across all seven emirates and at every station, and are reset by the UAE Fuel Price Committee at the start of each month.
How do I calculate how much my fuel will cost?
Enter your trip distance, select your car model, and choose your fuel grade in the calculator above. It applies the current UAE pump price automatically. If you know your own measured efficiency, use that instead of the model default for a sharper figure.
How do I find my car's fuel efficiency if I do not know it?
Select your model from the vehicle list in the calculator — it carries real-world UAE estimates with the air conditioning running. To measure your own, fill the tank, reset the trip meter, drive until your next refuel, then divide the kilometres travelled by the litres added.
What does it cost to drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi?
The journey is around 140 km each way. A sedan returning 13 km/L on Special 95 uses about 10.8 litres, costing roughly AED 35 one way or AED 71 return. A large SUV at 8 km/L costs closer to AED 58 one way. Tolls are separate — Salik gates in Dubai and Darb gates in Abu Dhabi each add AED 4 per crossing, and the Ghantoot Darb gate on that route charges around the clock.
Do UAE fuel prices really change every month?
Yes. The Fuel Price Committee announces new rates on the last day of each month, effective from the 1st. Changes track global crude markets and can be substantial — rates rose more than 60% over four months in early 2026 before dropping sharply in July.
Should I fill up before the monthly price change?
Only if you were going to refuel anyway and an increase has been announced. The saving on a single tank is usually AED 20–30, which does not justify a special trip. Consistent efficiency habits and regular servicing save considerably more over a year than timing your refuels.
Is E-Plus 91 cheaper to run than Special 95?
It is AED 0.08 per litre cheaper, which works out at roughly AED 4 on a 50-litre fill. Only use it if your manual permits it. Most Japanese and Korean sedans run fine on 91, while many European and performance engines specify 95 or 98 — and running a lower octane than specified can reduce efficiency enough to cancel out the saving.
Does the calculator work for diesel?
Yes. Select the diesel button and the current rate of AED 3.60 is applied. Diesel engines are typically 15–30% more efficient than equivalent petrol ones, which usually more than offsets the higher price per litre for high-mileage drivers, though the gap narrows when diesel is priced well above petrol as it is currently.
How accurate are the results?
The arithmetic is exact; the accuracy depends on your inputs. Using a model default, expect to be within 10–15% of reality. Using your own measured efficiency, expect to be within about 5%. Summer AC use, heavy traffic and a full load all push actual consumption above the estimate.
Do the calculations include tolls or parking?
No — this covers fuel only. Salik in Dubai and Darb in Abu Dhabi are charged separately per crossing, and parking is separate again. For a complete picture of what a journey costs, add those on top of the fuel figure.
Start With Your Own Numbers
Fuel is one of the few car costs you can measure precisely and influence directly. Knowing what your commute actually costs per month makes the case for a route change, a lift share or a different car concrete rather than a guess.
Use the calculator above with your own car and distances. For the fuller picture — insurance, finance, depreciation, servicing — see our full range of car calculators.
Looking at something more economical? Browse current listings at Shaz Cars.
Related Car Calculators for UAE Drivers
- Total Cost of Ownership Calculator — complete vehicle expenses including fuel, insurance, maintenance and depreciation
- Electric Car Charging Cost Calculator — compare EV charging costs against petrol to evaluate whether electric makes sense
- Car vs Uber Cost Calculator — whether owning a vehicle or using ride-hailing is more economical for your lifestyle
- Vehicle Depreciation Calculator — how your car's value decreases over time alongside fuel costs
- Darb Toll Calculator — add toll costs to your fuel expenses for complete journey planning
- Car Affordability Calculator — your total vehicle budget including ongoing fuel expenses
