In Europe, petrol (known as gasoline in the USA) prices are considerably higher than they are in the States and in fact can sometimes be double the cost. This is due to the government subsidies that the US applies to gasoline.

It is worth noting however that in many European countries, diesel is less expensive than in the U.S. This is because some countries subsidise diesel through lower taxes. As can be seen from the info­graphic below, if you travel to Europe it might be an idea to hire a diesel car especially if you plan on traveling long journeys. A small turbo diesel will accelerate well on those long journeys and open roads and can get more than 50 miles to a gallon of fuel. Another tip when in Europe is to attempt to research fuel stops and source the best prices.

The info­graphic below charts the December 2013 petrol and diesel prices across Europe that makes for interesting reading. Some countries have higher prices for specific reasons. For example, Norway diverts profits from petrol in the form of taxes onto paying for upgraded education and infrastructure services and the reason Italy’s prices are high is due to austerity measures developed by the government. Per capita income should be taken into account also below as seen with the example of the Czech Republic and Poland.