Fuel price history › May 2026
Fuel Price May 2026 — South Africa
Official Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources prices for May 2026, inland and coastal, and how each one moved against April 2026.
What Changed in May 2026
How each product moved from April 2026 to May 2026, per the official DMPR Breakdown of Prices.
| Product | Zone | April 2026 | May 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol 95 ULP | Inland | R23.36 | R26.63 | ↑ up R3.27 |
| Petrol 95 ULP | Coastal | R22.49 | R25.76 | ↑ up R3.27 |
| Petrol 93 ULP / LRP | Inland | R23.25 | R26.52 | ↑ up R3.27 |
| Petrol 93 ULP / LRP | Coastal | — | R25.65 | not published |
| Diesel 0.005% (50ppm) | Inland | — | R32.30 | not published |
| Diesel 0.05% (500ppm) | Inland | R25.91 | R31.18 | ↑ up R5.27 |
| Diesel 0.05% (500ppm) | Coastal | R25.04 | R30.30 | ↑ up R5.27 |
| Paraffin (wholesale) | Inland | R24.21 | R28.43 | ↑ up R4.22 |
| Paraffin (wholesale) | Coastal | R23.16 | R27.38 | ↑ up R4.22 |
Petrol and diesel are pump prices in rand per litre; paraffin is the wholesale price. Diesel is sold at a wholesale list price, so forecourt pricing varies by retailer.
What Drove the May 2026 Change
South African pump prices are set from the previous month’s market: the average Brent crude price in US dollars, the average rand/dollar exchange rate, and the gap that opens between the Basic Fuel Price and what you are actually charged.
Brent figures are daily closes from public market feeds, averaged over April 2026. The DMPR uses its own official daily rates, so treat this as the direction of travel rather than the exact input to the calculation.
For the current picture see the live Brent crude price in rand, or the next fuel price change page.
May 2026 in the Longer Trend
Against May 2025, petrol 95 inland up R5.23 — R21.40 then versus R26.63 now.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did the petrol price go up or down in May 2026?
Petrol 95 inland up R3.27 in May 2026, from R23.36 to R26.63 per litre. That is a increase.
What was the petrol price in May 2026?
Petrol 95 ULP was R26.63 per litre inland (Gauteng and the interior) and R25.76 at the coast. Petrol 93 was R26.52 inland.
How did May 2026 compare with a year earlier?
Against May 2025, petrol 95 inland up R5.23 — R21.40 then versus R26.63 in May 2026.
When does the fuel price change in South Africa?
On the first Wednesday of every month, at midnight. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources sets the new levels from the previous month’s average Brent crude price, the average rand/dollar exchange rate and the resulting under- or over-recovery. The next adjustment is Wednesday, 5 August 2026.
Why is fuel more expensive inland than at the coast?
Fuel is refined or landed at the coast and moved inland by pipeline and road. The DMPR adds that transport and storage cost to the Basic Fuel Price by zone, which is why Gauteng pays roughly 70–90 cents a litre more than Cape Town or Durban.