Where is the cheapest petrol in the UK?

Supermarket-dense areas in the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire, and parts of the South East consistently record the lowest pump prices. Areas with high Asda, Tesco, and Morrisons density tend to have the most competitive pricing.

Why is fuel more expensive in rural areas?

Rural stations have lower footfall and fewer competitors, so there's less price pressure. They also face higher delivery costs for small orders. Without a nearby supermarket to undercut them, they can charge a premium knowing drivers have limited alternatives.

Are supermarket petrol stations cheaper?

Yes, consistently. Supermarket forecourts typically charge 5–8p per litre less than branded stations (BP, Shell, Esso) for equivalent-grade fuel. They use fuel as a footfall driver and buy in bulk, passing some savings on to customers.

Which UK region has the cheapest diesel?

The Midlands and Yorkshire tend to offer the most competitive diesel prices, largely due to the high concentration of supermarket forecourts. Scotland and rural Wales typically have the highest diesel prices, often 8–12p above the national average.

UK Petrol Prices by Region: Where Is Fuel Cheapest in 2025?

The national average in 2025

As of mid-2025, the UK national average pump price sits at approximately 136p per litre for unleaded (E10) petrol and 142p per litre for diesel. These figures fluctuate weekly with oil markets and the pound/dollar exchange rate, but the regional spread between cheapest and most expensive areas has remained consistently large.

On a full 60-litre tank, someone in the cheapest region could pay over £7 less than someone filling up in the most expensive area. Over a year of weekly fill-ups, that's a difference of £350+ — just from where you happen to live.

Where fuel is cheapest: the Midlands and Yorkshire

The East and West Midlands and Yorkshire consistently record the lowest average petrol prices in England. This isn't coincidence — it's competition. These regions have an unusually high density of supermarket forecourts (Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury's), all of which use fuel as a loss-leader to drive footfall.

Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, and Leicester regularly see pump prices 3–7p below the national average. In areas where multiple supermarkets operate within a mile of each other, price wars frequently push prices even lower.

The East of England (particularly around major distribution corridors like the A1 and M1) also tends to have competitive pricing, partly driven by the volume of trade and freight traffic that demands competitive diesel.

London: expensive but competitive

London is a mixed picture. On average, London petrol prices sit slightly abovethe national average — partly driven by higher business rates for forecourts and the premium of operating in Zone 2 or 3. However, London's sheer size means there are pockets of genuine competition.

Outer London boroughs with large supermarket sites (think Tesco Extra in Wembley or Asda in Clapham) can be competitive. Inner London branded stations (BP on Marylebone Road, Shell on the Embankment) tend to charge 6–10p per litre above a comparable supermarket nearby.

The key takeaway for London drivers: location matters enormously within the city. Two petrol stations half a mile apart can easily differ by 12p/litre.

Where fuel is most expensive: rural areas and Scotland/Wales

Rural England, rural Wales, and much of rural Scotland face structurally higher fuel prices. Several factors combine:

Less competition.When the nearest alternative station is 8 miles away, the local forecourt doesn't need to match supermarket prices. Drivers will fill up rather than risk running low.

Higher delivery costs. Remote stations order smaller quantities less frequently, and the logistics of delivering to rural areas adds cost per litre.

No supermarket anchor. Rural towns rarely have a supermarket forecourt to keep prices honest. The absence of that anchor competitor is the single biggest predictor of elevated prices.

Parts of the Scottish Highlands, mid-Wales, and the South West of England regularly record prices of 145–152p/litre for petrol— that's 10–16p above what shoppers in Birmingham or Sheffield pay for the exact same fuel.

The data behind the prices

WorthThePump sources its live petrol price data from the UK Government's Fuel Finder API — the official, mandated price-transparency scheme introduced following the 2023 CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) investigation into fuel retail margins. Every participating petrol station (which covers the vast majority of UK forecourts) is required to publish its current pump prices in real time.

This means the prices you see on WorthThePump aren't crowdsourced guesses — they're the actual prices that station is charging right now. Use the map to see exactly how your local region compares and whether any nearby stations are genuinely offering a bargain.