How the August Petrol Hike Impacts Monthly Commuter Budgets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?

Fuel costs have risen in the UAE by 20 fils a litre for every grade of fuel following the increase, which will see motorists’ fuel bills rise this month. Though it might seem like a small adjustment at the pump, it’s a big one for those who commute each day between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, particularly those that cover long distances.

Households and professionals who buy gasoline for personal transportation will feel the new increase on their bills, as it applies to all information technology: Super 98, Special 95, E-Plus 91 and diesel.

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Fuel Prices Rise Across All Grades

From August 2026, Super 98 increased from AED 3.40 to AED 3.60 per litre, while Special 95 rose from AED 3.29 to AED 3.49. The price of E-Plus 91 rose to AED 3.41 per litre while that of diesel rose to AED 3.80 per litre.

Each litre is now 20 fils more expensive than during the previous month, but the price hikes vary from 5.5% to over 6% level, depending on the fuel grade.

What Does It Mean for Everyday Drivers?

This effect is more pronounced as the size of the fuel tank increases. An owner of this compact sedan is paying around AED 8 more per fill for this fuel, which works out to roughly AED 32 more a month if they fill up their tank weekly.

The family SUVs with 70 litres will face an additional cost of AED 14 per tank or about AED56 a month. The owner of a large 4WD system can pay an additional AED 20 per fill, which will cost an extra AED 78 per month.

Dubai–Abu Dhabi Commuters Feel the Biggest Impact

The hike will be most apparent for the professionals traveling between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Often one would find that travel costs are one of the highest operating costs in transportation such as an average round trip of 280 kilometres would easily take more than 6000 kilometers per month.

Today’s average 8 litres per 100 kilometre sedan consumes approximately 480 litres per month. The additional cost per month for approximately AED 1579 to AED 1675 is an additional AED 96 a month using Special 95.

Those driving larger SUVS (12 litres/100 kilometres) will be using approximately 720 litres/month. The amount of fuel they burn is up from about AED2369 to AED2513, which is an additional AED144 a month.

Ways to Reduce Fuel Expenses

However, some of these extra charges can be minimised using cashback credit cards and fuel loyalty schemes. The different cards provide cash-back, reward points for fuel bought and are designed to help frequent drivers recover, whether it is the Emirates Islamic RTA Card, CBD Super Saver Card or the FAB ADNOC Rewards Card.

You can also receive points at fuel stations that can be redeemed for other things or get a discount by joining these programmes such as ADNOC Rewards, ENOC Yes, or Cafu Rewards. Fuel efficiency can also be achieved by avoiding congestion in major roads like Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road (E311), as to avoid unnecessary idling.

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