Fuel prices in Crete are staying stubbornly above €2 a liter, because apparently that is simply where we live now.
According to the latest figures from the Fuel Price Observatory, average prices across all four prefectures have changed very little. In Heraklion, 95-octane unleaded averages €2.077 per litre, while 100-octane is €2.256. Diesel comes in at €2.065 and LPG at €1.103.
In Lasithi, the corresponding prices are €2.081, €2.290, €2.070 and €1.042. Rethymno is at €2.082 for 95-octane, €2.303 for 100-octane, €2.048 for diesel and €1.019 for LPG. Chania is marginally cheaper, with 95-octane at €2.058, 100-octane at €2.276, diesel at €2.036 and LPG at exactly €1.000.
So, good news. If you drive all the way from Heraklion to Chania, you might save a few cents.
The government has extended its diesel subsidy for another month, providing support of around €0.10 per liter, including VAT. Meanwhile, Helleniq Energy says it will continue its special discount on 95-octane petrol and diesel until September 30.
Together, the measures are supposed to reduce the final price by around €0.10 per litre for petrol and €0.15 for diesel compared with what consumers would otherwise be paying.
For anyone wondering what that means in actual money, filling a 40-liter tank with 95-octane petrol saves approximately €4. A 50-liter tank saves €5, while a 60-liter tank saves €6.
Diesel drivers do slightly better. The combined discount amounts to about €0.15 per liter, meaning savings of €6 for 40 liters, €7.50 for 50 liters, and €9 for 60 liters. For professional drivers buying 100 liters, the saving is around €15. At 200 liters, it reaches approximately €30.
Which sounds considerably more impressive until you remember that the tank still costs more than €200 to fill.
Brent refuses to cooperate
The problem is not confined to Greek petrol stations.
Brent crude climbed above $91 a barrel again, reaching approximately $91.50 before easing slightly back towards $91. The international oil market is still watching the geopolitical situation closely, with no clear indication yet that prices are heading for a sustained decline.
Higher crude prices eventually work their way through transportation costs and, inevitably, back to the pump.
The picture at Greek refineries is also being watched closely. According to the latest market data, the refinery price for unleaded petrol is around €1.50 per litre before VAT. Diesel, meanwhile, has fallen to approximately €1.38, with the subsidy expected to provide some additional relief.
In other words, petrol and diesel are currently following rather different trajectories, with petrol under greater pressure from international oil prices.
And then there is natural gas
Because apparently expensive petrol was not enough.
European natural gas prices have climbed above €70 per megawatt-hour, approaching €71/MWh, returning to levels not seen since January 2023.
That represents a 44-month high and is raising concerns about energy costs during the coming winter.
Europe needs to replenish gas storage ahead of the colder months, while increased winter demand could put additional pressure on prices. More expensive natural gas also matters for electricity, since gas-fired power plants account for a significant share of electricity generation.
And that brings us neatly to the electricity bill.
Your September Electricity Bill
Wholesale electricity prices have risen by more than 20%, making it difficult for suppliers to keep September green tariffs at August levels.
Providers are expected to announce their September green tariffs this afternoon, with efforts reportedly underway to keep final charges close to August levels. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen.
So, for the moment, Crete has petrol above €2 per liter, diesel above €2 per liter, natural gas at a 44-month high, and wholesale electricity prices up more than 20%.
But look on the bright side. You can save €4 when you fill 40 liters of petrol. Crisis averted.
