BANKING

UAE Fuel Prices October 2026: Special 95 at AED 4.28 — the Highest of the Year

Updated October 2026 · 6 min read

Fuel pump at a UAE petrol station at dusk

In this guide:
1. The new October prices · 2. How much they jumped vs September · 3. What a full tank now costs · 4. Why prices rose again · 5. How the monthly pricing works · 6. Verdict

1. The new October prices

The UAE Fuel Price Committee announced the October 2026 rates on 30 September, and they took effect on 1 October 2026 at ADNOC, ENOC, EPPCO and all fuel retailers across the country:

Super 98: AED 4.40 per litre
Special 95: AED 4.28 per litre
E-Plus 91: AED 4.21 per litre
Diesel: AED 4.80 per litre

Every grade of petrol is now above AED 4 per litre — the highest levels of 2026, and the first time petrol has crossed AED 4 since 2022.

2. How much they jumped vs September

Fuel	September (AED/l)	October (AED/l)	Change	Change %
Super 98	3.80	4.40	+0.60	+15.8%
Special 95	3.69	4.28	+0.59	+16.0%
E-Plus 91	3.61	4.21	+0.60	+16.6%
Diesel	4.30	4.80	+0.50	+11.6%

Petrol took the bigger hit this month: up 59–60 fils per litre, roughly 16% depending on the grade. Diesel rose 50 fils (11.6%) and remains the most expensive fuel at the pump — 52 fils above Special 95.

3. What a full tank now costs

The per-litre numbers look small until you multiply them by a tank. Here is the real damage for common vehicle sizes on Special 95:

Tank size	September cost	October cost	Extra per fill
50L (sedan)	AED 184.50	AED 214.00	+AED 29.50
60L (crossover)	AED 221.40	AED 256.80	+AED 35.40
70L (SUV)	AED 258.30	AED 299.60	+AED 41.30
80L diesel (pickup)	AED 344.00	AED 384.00	+AED 40.00

Fill up once a week and you are paying AED 120–165 more per month than in September — a meaningful slice of a household transport budget.

4. Why prices rose again

Fuel prices in the UAE track global oil markets, and the October hike follows a third straight monthly increase after a dip in July. The backdrop, reported by regional media on the announcement:

Regional tension: the 60-day ceasefire between the US and Iran has expired, with Washington indicating it does not intend to extend it and Tehran warning of escalation.
Supply concerns: Houthi attacks on oil infrastructure in the Red Sea have intensified, keeping energy markets on edge.
Crude benchmark: Brent crude is trading around $97.3 per barrel, per today's live market data.

Whether prices stay high depends on how those tensions evolve — a de-escalation could let prices ease in November, while further disruption could push them higher.

5. How the monthly pricing works

Who sets it: the UAE Fuel Price Committee, overseen by the Ministry of Energy, announces new rates on the last day of each month; they take effect the next day.
Since when: retail fuel prices were liberalised in 2015, aligning pump prices with global oil markets (benchmarked to S&P Global Platts, plus retailer margins).
Same nationwide: the rates apply identically across all seven emirates.
Fuel types: Super 98 (high-performance/luxury cars), Special 95 (most standard cars), E-Plus 91 (fleets and basic cars), diesel (buses, trucks, some SUVs — never put diesel in a petrol car).

Verdict: October 2026 brings the steepest pump prices of the year — Special 95 up ~16% to AED 4.28. A weekly fill-up now costs AED 120–165 more per month. Budget for it, consider topping up before month-end when hikes are expected, and watch November's announcement (due 31 October) before planning long trips.

FAQs

What are the UAE fuel prices for October 2026?

Super 98: AED 4.40/l, Special 95: AED 4.28/l, E-Plus 91: AED 4.21/l, Diesel: AED 4.80/l — effective 1 October 2026.

When are UAE fuel prices announced?

The Fuel Price Committee announces new rates on the last day of every month; they take effect on the first day of the next month.

Are fuel prices the same in all emirates?

Yes — the announced rates apply nationwide at ADNOC, ENOC, EPPCO and all other retailers.

Budgeting the extra cost? Try our currency converter and browse banking guides.