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Where to get the cheapest fuel in Spain

Filling up your tank is getting more expensive in Spain as global fuel prices rise. Here's where you can find the cheapest fuel in Spain and other ways to save on petrol costs.

Published: 21 October 2021 10:31 CEST
Updated: 9 March 2022 17:09 CET
petrol station in Spain
Where are the cheapest places to buy fuel in Spain? Photo: Juan Fernandez / Unsplash

Petrol and gas prices have skyrocketed across Europe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including in Spain.

Russia is the world’s third-largest oil producer and second-largest exporter, but the Ukraine crisis has only exacerbated the problem, since petrol prices have been on an upward trend here in Spain since May 2021. 

Add this to exorbitant electricity prices over the past year and the rising costs of goods, and it’s no wonder this is putting a huge strain on our wallets. 

READ ALSO: The food products that are more expensive than ever in Spain

The average price at the pump in Spain is now €1.76 per litre for petrol/gasoline and €1.6 for diesel, reaching historic highs.

However, this varies a lot between service stations and regions. In the Basque Country for example, prices have already reached €2 per litre for petrol in some places. 

What determines the price of fuel?

The international price per barrel affects the cost of fuel around the globe, but that is only part of it.

The reasons for the price increase are varied. One is the increase in demand due to the economic recovery after the pandemic, but there is also an increase in the price of a barrel of oil, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Every petrol station franchise has other expenses such as production, distribution and marketing costs, which include wholesaler and retailer margins. This may be what makes smaller franchise fuel stations cheaper than big national chains.

The price is also affected by taxes and other associated costs, such as the maintenance of strategic reserves and the contribution to the National Energy Efficiency Fund.

In Spain, liquid fuels derived from petroleum are subject to two taxes: VAT and the Special Tax on Hydrocarbons (IEH).

READ ALSO: Why is electricity in Spain more expensive than ever?

So where are the cheapest places to fill up?

According to Spain’s main consumer watchdog OCU, filling up your tank of petrol will now cost you €16 more than it did a year ago. This means that choosing the right place to fill up, could save you a significant amount of money. 

The driver portal deiselogasolina.com has found that Ballenoil, BonÀrea, and Alcampo service station chains are the cheapest places to fill up, while Repsol, Cepsa, Galp and Shell are most expensive.

For example, the average price of litre of unleaded 95 petrol at a Repsol station is €1.80, while at BonArea, it will cost you an average of €1.58. 

Fill up locally  

According to the OCU, the most expensive places to fill up are the ones that have the most service stations and are more prevalent throughout the whole country, while those with the lowest prices tend to be budget regional or supermarket chains, with less presence on motorways.

The average price of gas stations located on the main roads or highways is usually higher than the rest.  

If you want to save on fuel, it’s best to fill up in your local town before you hit the road.

Gas stations with the lowest prices tend to be in agricultural areas and smaller cities next to large cities, but it is difficult to find them because only one in six has low price levels compared to the average.

How to find the cheapest petrol stations?

Prices vary from region to region and area to area, so how do you know where to find the cheapest place to fill up? 

Google Maps

One of the best ways to find out the cheapest place is in fact via Google Maps, where you can find the up to date prices for each station. It works both on the mobile app and a computer. First, click on Petrol Station or Gasolinera button, which appears below or next to the search bar. This will generate a map of all the petrol stations and their prices, closest to you. You can also change the search area, if you want to check the prices somewhere else. 

Keep in mind that not all petrol stations will display prices. If you want to find out the prices of different types of petrol, as well as diesel at a particular petrol station, simply click on it and it will give a list of the types it offers and the prices. 

Other websites 

There are several other websites that work in a similar way to Google Maps, including elpreciodelagasolina.com and dieselogasolina.com. You simply type in or find your region and the sites will produce a map, along with a list of the cheapest petrol stations near you. 

You can also consult the website Geoportalgasolineras, from the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism.

This online page allows you to research ahead of time so you know where it’s cheaper to refuel according to your city or region. It publishes updated prices and also allows you to filter the results by type of fuel. 

Apps 

Apps such as GasAll and Gasolineras España are also good options, which detail the prices of petrol near you and allow you to compare the price of different types. 

The OCU also has a search engine for cheaper places to fill up in your area, available here. 

Keep an eye out for the section with a list of all existing discount plans too.

Spanish vocabulary:

Gasolinera – gas or petrol station

El carburante – fuel (petrol/gas and diesel)

Gasolina  – petrol/gas

Diésel – diesel

Gasolina sin plomo – unleaded petrol

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DRIVING

EXPLAINED: What you need to know about road tax in Spain

Here's what you need to know about IVTM, Spain's road tax, as well as how much it is, how to pay it, and what happens if you don't.

Published: 26 May 2023 11:26 CEST
EXPLAINED: What you need to know about road tax in Spain

If you live in Spain and own a car, you’ll have to pay road tax.

Road tax in Spain is known as IVTM (Impuesto sobre Vehículos de Tracción Mecánica) and is a tax you pay at the municipal level, that is, to your local town hall.

According to Spain’s General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), “the Traffic Tax of a vehicle is a mandatory tax that is applied on all motor vehicles, allowing them to circulate on public roads throughout the country”.

Key things to know about IVTM

  • You pay the tax in the municipality where the vehicle is registered.
  • The municipality where the vehicle is registered and where the owner is resident must be the same.
  • The exact amount you pay depends on where you live.
  • The legal owner of the vehicle is the one who must pay the tax, nobody else.
  • In Spain, the road tax period begins on January 1st of each year, and payments are usually taken sometime between April and June. 

How much is it?

How much IVTM you pay depends on where you live in Spain and the type of car you have. Ultimately each local council decides how much you pay, so it’s always best to check with them first.

Generally speaking, the annual tax is between €112 and €300 for the year.

There can be quite significant rates in different parts of the country, but it’s based on the ‘taxable horsepower’ (THP) of your vehicle, which basically means how big and powerful the engine is. You are taxed according to its capacity. If you have a smaller, less powerful car you’ll pay less road tax, whereas gas-guzzling four-wheel drives pay more.

In Madrid, for example, the annual road tax for a car with a THP of greater than 20 (a relatively powerful car) is €124 for the year, but in Oviedo in Asturias, it is almost double at €224.

The Basque municipality of San Sebastián has the highest road tax rates in Spain, while Melilla and Ceuta generally have the lowest.

How do I pay or check my road tax status?

There are several ways to check the road tax status of your car.

You can do it on the DGT website, using your NIE, digital certificate or [email protected] password, and you just have to input your license plate to see the tax status.

You can also do it on the miDGT app, or in person at DGT traffic offices, but must make an appointment first via phone or online.

The local town hall (Ayuntamiento) also allows you to pay road tax there, as well as the possibility of paying directly to them online. Check your local town hall’s website to see if this is possible in your municipality. 

You could also check your bank statements to see if the DGT or Ayuntamiento has already charged you for the road tax this year.

If you move and need to reregister the tax address of your car, you can do it on the DGT website here.

What happens if I don’t pay road tax in Spain?

If you fail to pay your road ta in Spain you could be fined or worse.

According to the Spanish motoring website DiarioMotor.com, however, as the IVTM is technically an administrative procedure, if you’re stopped by the police and can’t provide your road tax paperwork you shouldn’t be fined.

It’s worth keeping in mind though that the fines handed out by the DGT added up to a whopping €507 million in 2022, the highest figure ever recorded, so it could definitely be a possibility. 

If you don’t pay the tax within the payment period, the town hall will also add a surcharge for any late payments. It is a five percent surcharge if you pay it late, but before they formally notify you;
a 10 percent surcharge if you pay the tax after having received the notification and before the new deadline; and a 20 percent surcharge beyond that.

If you simply don’t pay the IVTM and your debt grows to more than €500, the local council can even seize your car.

Similarly, if you have an accident without valid road tax, many insurers will reject compensation claims, and you will not be able to legally sell your vehicle if you haven’t paid it.

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