Australia Fuel Prices – Week of 11 May 2026

Australia Fuel Prices: Diesel Leads the Falls, P98 Heads the Other Way

The big story for the week of 11 to 18 May 2026 is diesel. Metro drivers are paying nearly 9 cents less per litre than they were last week, and rural diesel has fallen even further. That's real money for tradies, fleet operators and anyone hauling a caravan. Not every fuel type followed suit, though. P98 climbed 4 cents in metro areas, and rural LPG surged 6.7 cents, making this a week of sharp contrasts depending on what you run in your tank.

National Metro vs Rural Snapshot: Australia Fuel Prices 11–18 May 2026

Fuel by Fuel Breakdown

Diesel is the standout mover this week. A drop of 9 cents in metro areas and 11.2 cents in rural areas is the kind of relief that translates to genuine savings for high-kilometre drivers. Rural diesel at 243.7 cents is still steep, but the direction is encouraging.

P98 tells a different story. Metro premium lovers are copping a 4-cent rise, pushing the national metro average to 211.4 cents per litre. Interestingly, rural P98 actually fell 2.6 cents to 210.1 cents, meaning country drivers are now paying fractionally less for the top-shelf fuel than city drivers. That inversion is unusual and worth watching.

LPG remains the cheapest fuel in the country at 151.8 cents per litre in metro areas, but rural LPG jumped a sharp 6.7 cents to 195.9 cents. The gap between metro and rural LPG is now a significant 44 cents per litre, which matters a great deal if you're running an LPG vehicle outside a capital city.

U91 and E10 crept up slightly in metro areas, by 0.7 cents and 1.5 cents respectively, while both edged lower in rural areas. Nothing dramatic, but city drivers will feel the tick upward after several quieter weeks.

Cheapest State for Petrol: SA Holds the Crown

South Australia is again the cheapest state for metro U91 at 177.6 cents per litre, actually falling 1.4 cents this week. Western Australia sits close behind at 178.0 cents, also down 2.4 cents. Both states are comfortably below the national metro average of 182.0 cents.

On the other end, NSW is the most expensive state for metro U91 at 186.5 cents, after a painful 4.2-cent rise this week. Queensland also climbed 2.5 cents to 183.6 cents. ACT and Victoria sit in the middle of the pack, with modest movements either way. SA also posted the lowest metro diesel price nationally at 229.2 cents, while the ACT's metro diesel average of 257.2 cents remains the highest in the country by a considerable margin.

Supply Watch: Diesel Availability Tightening

Worth keeping an eye on is diesel availability. Out-of-stock diesel stations nationally rose from 75 to 88 this week, a 17 per cent jump in a single week. Victoria, South Australia and Queensland are carrying the heaviest load of supply gaps across all fuel types. If you rely on diesel and have flexibility in where you fill up, checking the Petrol Smart app before you leave is a sensible move right now.

What This Week Means for Drivers

If you're on diesel, fill up while the price is heading down — there's no guarantee it continues. P98 drivers in the city should consider whether P95 suits their needs, given the premium is widening. Rural LPG users have had a rough week and should shop around where geography allows. For everyday unleaded drivers, E10 remains the best value at 178.7 cents metro, and SA and WA are the places to be if you have any choice in the matter.

Check out our detailed New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia reports for a full breakdown of local pricing and the cheapest stations near you.

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