Refueling across the border is no longer worthwhile: petrol in the Netherlands is sometimes even cheaper

Even driving across the border to fill up the tank is a no-brainer for many Dutch people. Germany has been the promised land for cheaper fuel for years. But that price difference is getting smaller. In some cases, you are even cheaper off in the Netherlands than in our eastern neighbors when it comes to gasoline.

The explanation? A mix of falling oil prices, exchange rates and extra taxes on the German side. But even in your own country it is now worth taking a critical look at where you fill up.

Anyone standing at a petrol station in Babberich, Gelderland, could hardly believe their eyes this week: the petrol price there was a few cents lower than at a pump just across the border in Germany. A rarity, but indicative of how prices are approaching each other.

On average, the Netherlands is still more expensive, with a recommended price of 2.07 euros for Euro95. In Germany, you pay an average of 1.69 euros per liter. But in the border regions, it is increasingly a matter of a few cents difference and then you have to ask yourself whether the trip is still worth it.

Also notable: compared to last year, refueling in the Netherlands has become a lot cheaper. According to the Pricewise Fuel Barometer, petrol is 10 percent cheaper in April than a year ago. The price of a litre of Euro95 dropped from 2.08 euros to 1.88 euros in some places in the Netherlands. The difference is similar for diesel.

And you'll notice it in your wallet: a full tank for an average car now saves you around 11 euros. Want to fill up your tank by refueling after the click? Metro explains why that 's not a smart idea .

According to Hans de Kok, director of Pricewise, the decline that we saw last March could continue for a while: "Oil prices fell further at the beginning of May. In combination with the stable but high euro-dollar exchange rate, a further price drop at the pump is in the offing. Fuel prices fell in the first week of May about the same as in April. The price differences between petrol stations are also significant, so if this saves another 10 percent, the advantage works out twice, despite the fact that more than half of our fuel prices consist of tax and excise duties."

In other words: those who pay close attention and choose their fuel consumption wisely can also save a lot in the Netherlands.

However, we should not cheer too soon. In Germany, an additional CO2 tax was introduced at the beginning of this year, which automatically made petrol around 3 cents per litre more expensive. This tax will continue to increase in the coming years. According to calculations, this could amount to as much as 38 cents extra per litre in 2027.

The Netherlands will also get such a levy, probably from 2026. How heavy it will be and how exactly it will be passed on at the pump, is not yet clear. It is certain that on 1 January 2026 the price of petrol will also increase significantly: by 25.8 cents per litre. The petrol price including excise duties and levies will also be subject to 21 percent VAT, which makes the current decrease seem short-lived.

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