Pertamax Price Impacts Pertalite Fuel Consumption, Here Is the Evidence
The Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) has recorded a surge in consumption of the subsidised fuel Pertalite, particularly when the price of non-subsidised fuel, especially Pertamax, increases.
Head of BPH Migas Wahyudi Anas said that the movement in Pertalite consumption shows a shift in public consumption patterns that follows the movement of non-subsidised fuel prices.
“The chart above shows the movement in fuel prices, particularly RON 90, namely Pertalite. Its consumption rose quite significantly after the increase in non-subsidised fuel prices, both Pertamax and Pertamax Turbo,” Wahyudi explained during a hearing with Commission XII of the Indonesian House of Representatives on Wednesday (26/8/2026).
According to him, when non-subsidised fuel prices rise, the price disparity with Pertalite widens. This condition has led some members of the public to shift their consumption from non-subsidised fuel to subsidised fuel.
“The factor causing the increase is, first of all, the widening price disparity,” he said.
Conversely, if the price of Pertamax declines, Pertalite consumption is also observed to decline. This can be seen in August 2026. When the Pertamax price fell on 1 August 2026, average Pertalite consumption during August also declined compared with July 2026.
However, he continued, although the Pertamax price has now fallen, the price disparity with subsidised fuel remains quite high, so Pertalite consumption is still somewhat high compared with the normal daily average consumption before the Pertamax price increase in June 2026.
“Although at the end of August the prices for the Pertamax category, such as Pertamax and Pertamina Dex including the Dex series, declined, the price disparity is still quite wide, quite high, and many people are shifting their use to subsidised fuel and state compensation,” he said.
Based on his presentation materials, average daily Pertalite consumption reached 82,760 kilolitres (kl) in June 2026. That figure jumped by 6,965 kl, or 9.19%, compared with the average daily Pertalite consumption on normal days of 75,795 kl, before the Pertamax price increase on 10 June 2026.
Then, in July 2026, average daily Pertalite consumption rose further to 85,589 kl. That figure jumped by 9,794 kl, or 12.92%, compared with the average daily consumption on normal days of 75,795 kl.
In August 2026, average daily Pertalite consumption fell slightly to 84,368 kl compared with July 2026. This figure shows a decline, in line with the reduction in the Pertamax price on 1 August 2026.
However, the figure remains up by 8,573 kl, or 11.31%, compared with average Pertalite consumption on normal days, or before the Pertamax price rose on 10 June 2026.
“Meanwhile, in the August period up to now it has declined slightly because the Pertamax price was also corrected from Rp16,250 per litre to Rp15,950, so Pertamax consumption also fell,” he said.
The following is the list of fuel prices at Pertamina petrol stations as of 1 August 2026 in the DKI Jakarta area and its surroundings:
Pertalite: Rp10,000 per litre
Subsidised diesel: Rp6,800 per litre
Pertamax: Rp15,950 per litre
Pertamax Green 95: Rp16,600 per litre
Pertamax Turbo: Rp18,300 per litre
Dexlite: Rp19,700 per litre
Pertamina Dex: Rp21,150 per litre