Rising fuel costs leave Italian families and businesses paying €1.1 billion more this October
Italian households and companies will spend €1.1 billion more on fuel this October compared with the same month last year, despite voluntary price caps introduced by major oil companies. The extra cost marks a 20.4% increase in national fuel expenditure, according to the Research Office of the CGIA of Mestre.
The figures set the tone for a difficult winter. Over the full year of 2026, the additional burden on motorists and businesses is expected to reach €13.6 billion. Commuters living in areas with limited public transport face the sharpest impact, as the car remains their only realistic option for reaching work.
Where the cost falls
The pain is not distributed evenly across the country. Metropolitan areas carry the heaviest burden, with Roma (+€68.5 million), Milano (+€49.5 million), and Napoli (+€39.6 million) accounting for the largest increases in absolute terms. Brescia, Torino, and Bari follow closely behind.
At the regional level, Lombardia leads with an additional €163.9 million in monthly fuel spending. Emilia-Romagna follows at €111.1 million, with Veneto at €106.1 million. Urban density, reliance on private transport, and the concentration of logistics activity drive these figures.
The CGIA notes that as long as the Middle East conflict continues, pump prices are unlikely to return to pre-crisis levels.
What has changed at the pump
The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy reported on 4 October that the national average price for self-service petrol stood at €2.049 per litre, with diesel at €2.244 per litre. On motorways, prices run higher: €2.064 for petrol and €2.268 for diesel.
Since the onset of tensions in the Middle East, prices have risen by 29.1% for petrol and 36.6% for diesel, according to CGIA data. The gap between the two fuels has widened, with diesel now costing roughly €0.20 more per litre.
Fiscal shift underway
Today, 5 October, a tax reduction on diesel of €0.061 per litre expires. The cut is being replaced by a new mechanism of "mobile excise duties" — a system designed to use the extra VAT revenue generated by higher oil prices to offset rising fuel taxes automatically.
Consumer association Codacons has asked oil companies to extend their voluntary discounts and price caps at least until the end of the year. The association calculates that a full tank of diesel now costs €26 more than it did before the Middle East conflict began.
Recent relief at the pump
Despite the long-term trend, the past week brought some respite. Codacons reports that on the ordinary road network, petrol prices fell by €0.11 per litre, while diesel dropped by €0.133. On motorways, the decline was sharper — around €0.19 for both fuels — translating to a saving of roughly €9.50 per tank.
Six months of rising prices have cost Italian motorists more than €4.7 billion in additional expenses, according to an analysis by consumer association Adusbef. In July and August alone, the extra burden exceeded €1.7 billion. Total fuel spending between March and August 2026 reached nearly €30 billion, compared with €25.3 billion in the same period of 2025.
Island communities under pressure
In Lampedusa, local fishermen remain on strike. The island's fleet has stayed moored, with banners along the quay protesting diesel prices that reach €1.80 per litre — a 30% premium over the regional Sicilian average of €1.30–1.40. This local rate is distinct from the national average because fishing vessels benefit from tax exemptions under special maritime regulations, meaning the €1.80 reflects a commercial, not consumer, price. For island residents and small businesses, however, retail diesel prices are significantly higher due to logistical constraints and monopoly distribution, with some reporting rates approaching €2.40/L.
The local fuel distributor operates as a monopoly, and island businesses say the surcharge, combined with damage to nets from seabed wreckage, is pushing them toward collapse.
A delegation led by Totò Martello, president of the Cogepa association, which represents 98% of local vessel owners, will meet regional fisheries officials in Palermo tomorrow. Banners in the harbour appeal directly to the Ministry of Infrastructure: "Salvini, the fishermen of Lampedusa do not resign themselves to expensive diesel."
Note: Earlier references to the Iran conflict have been updated to "Middle East conflict" for geographic accuracy in line with the original sources.
