Neighbouring Countries' Fuel Prices Equivalent to Pertalite Reach Rp33,000 per Litre

Fuel price increases have occurred in nearly all countries worldwide, primarily triggered by the surge in global crude oil prices due to supply chain disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. In Indonesia, the hikes apply only to certain non-subsidised fuels, including petrol and diesel/Solar. Meanwhile, prices for subsidised fuels such as Pertalite petrol (RON 90) and Biosolar remain at Rp10,000 and Rp6,800 per litre respectively, without any increase. This stability is due to the Indonesian government continuing to bear the subsidy burden to prevent rises in subsidised fuel prices. In contrast, neighbouring countries have also raised prices for RON 91 petrol equivalent to Pertalite, such as in Australia and New Zealand. Residents of Indonesia living in Auckland, New Zealand, have shared their experiences when purchasing petrol. Citing a video uploaded to the Instagram account @catatansiwok, petrol prices in the area have risen sharply and even change almost daily. He revealed that over the past four weeks, petrol prices have steadily climbed. Nevertheless, supplies in major cities like Auckland remain relatively secure. “Four weeks of war, every day the petrol price keeps rising. Luckily, I’m in Auckland, which is a big city, so supply is still safe,” he stated, quoted on Wednesday (22/4/2026). However, conditions differ in smaller towns. According to him, RON 91 fuel or equivalent to Pertalite is reported to be starting to become scarce. Based on the conversation in the video, he mentioned that petrol prices in Auckland now reach around 3.3 New Zealand dollars (NZD) per litre for RON 91 and 3.5 NZD per litre for RON 95. Converted to rupiah assuming an exchange rate of Rp10,124 per 1 NZD, the price for RON 91 equivalent is approximately Rp33,409 per litre and RON 95 around Rp35,434 per litre. This price increase directly impacts the account owner’s expenses. He noted that previously, weekly petrol costs were around 40 NZD, but now they have risen to 60 NZD. According to him, before the rise, petrol was around 2.3 NZD per litre, but now it has climbed to about 3.3 NZD per litre, an increase of around 1 NZD per litre. He then compared the situation to Indonesia, which still provides fuel subsidies. Indonesians are relatively fortunate because Pertalite prices remain subsidised by the government. “Here, it’s calculated daily, so prices change every day. Look, Rp600,000 only gets 17 litres. You’re lucky in Indonesia with the subsidies,” he said. For information, based on the latest data, fuel prices in New Zealand remain at quite high levels, with average petrol prices at major terminals above 3 NZD per litre. Based on BP petrol station fuel prices in New Zealand as of 21 April 2026, the price of RON 95 petrol (M95) at the Marsden Point TLF terminal is recorded at 3.17 NZD per litre. Meanwhile, at the Wiri terminal, the M95 price even reaches around 3.19 NZD per litre. For RON 91 (M91), prices at terminals including Marsden Point TLF, Wiri, Mount Maunganui, Napier, New Plymouth, Hutt City, Seaview, Nelson, Lyttelton, Dunedin range between 3.05-3.09 NZD per litre. List of Countries Still Selling Pertalite-Equivalent Petrol Based on CNBC Indonesia records, Indonesia is not the only country still using fuel with a Research Octane Number (RON) below 92. Several other countries also continue to use low-octane fuel, though their numbers are increasingly limited. Globally, the trend in fuel use is shifting towards higher RON fuels. The majority of countries have now transitioned to petrol with a minimum octane of 92 or higher. Countries such as Egypt, Uzbekistan, and neighbours like the Philippines and Thailand still sell fuel below RON 92. Egypt is one of the world’s largest economies in North Africa that still sells fuel with a relatively low RON of just 80. Fuel subsidies are still applied in Egypt to keep prices affordable for the public. The government allocates a large budget for these subsidies to maintain low fuel prices for low-income residents. Purchasing power in Egypt tends to be lower compared to developed countries, so the government maintains cheaper fuel options like RON 80. Besides low purchasing power, in terms of infrastructure and vehicle technology, many vehicles in Egypt, especially old vehicles and public transport, can still use RON 80 fuel without significant issues. Older vehicles with low-compression engines do not require high-RON fuel, so demand for RON 80 remains high. Cited from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Arab Republic of Egypt, there are three types of local gasoline: Gasoline 80, Gasoline 92, and Gasoline 95. Not only Egypt, but neighbouring countries like Thailand and the Philippines also sell fuel with RON below 92, specifically RON 91. Both countries still sell RON 91 fuel due to several main factors related to regulatory standards, vehicle needs, and the balance of price and fuel quality. This policy is also adjusted to the needs of modern vehicles and stricter regulatory standards compared to countries that still use fuel with lower RON such as 80 or 87.