A comparison of unleaded gasoline prices with wage levels in European Union countries paints a particularly bleak picture for Greece. According to the data presented in the relevant chart, Greece ranks among the EU countries with the highest fuel prices, while wages remain low compared to much of Europe.
The price of unleaded gasoline in Greece is shown in 2.09 euros per liter, while the corresponding EU average stands at 1.98 euros. Based on this table, the country ranks 7th most expensive among the 27 member states.
The picture becomes even clearer when the cost of gasoline is considered alongside wages. In the graph, the average monthly gross salary for Greece is estimated at 1,411 euros, compared to 2,282 euros which is referred to as the European average. However, these figures should be interpreted with caution regarding methodology: Eurostat uses different wage indices, and not all wage comparisons are directly equivalent. Eurostat itself notes that the estimates of monthly gross wages for 2025 are based on data from the Structure of Earnings Survey and on extrapolations using the Labor Cost Index.
The striking comparison
A typical example is that of Bulgaria. The average monthly gross salary is shown in the 1,349 euros, which is just 62 euros less than in Greece. Gasoline, however, costs 1.57 euros per liter, compared to 2.09 euros in Greece.
The difference is 52 minutes per liter. For a 50-liter fill-up, Greek consumers pay approximately 26 euros more, despite the fact that the two monthly salaries shown in the table differ only slightly.
Even more telling is the case of Sweden. Unleaded gasoline is available at 1.59 euros per liter, which is 50 leptas cheaper than in Greece, while the average monthly gross salary amounts to 3,708 euros – more than two and a half times that of Greece.
In Luxembourg, the monthly salary is recorded in the 3,503 euros and gasoline at 1.87 euros, that is, cheaper than in Greece.
Even in countries where the price at the pump is higher, the relationship to wages is completely different. In Germany, for example, gasoline is listed at 2.33 euros, but the monthly salary is 2,864 euros. In the Netherlands, the corresponding figures are 2.47 euros and 3,318 euros, while in Denmark 2.63 euros and 3,808 euros.
It's not just how much a liter costs
This is where the crux of the comparison lies. The nominal price on the pump alone does not reflect the actual burden borne by the consumer. The key factor is what portion of his income is required to purchase the same amount of fuel.
For an employee who needs a car every day to get around—especially in rural areas and on the islands, where alternative public transportation options are limited—this difference becomes even more significant.
The European Commission publishes weekly petroleum product prices in the member states via the Weekly Oil Bulletin, with national authorities sending the relevant data to the European Commission. The latest available official records are dated September 10, 2026.
Thus, the debate over fuel prices is not limited to the question of whether gasoline costs 1.80, 2, or 2.10 euros. The real question is how many liters of gasoline a worker can buy with his or her salary—and in this comparison, Greece’s position becomes much more difficult.
