Where do default Melbourne fuel prices come from?

Defaults use the site Melbourne public fuel snapshot and live board averages when stations report prices, aligned with the same data sources as the station directory.

What costs are excluded from the diesel vs petrol calculator?

Purchase price, depreciation, servicing, AdBlue, DPF maintenance, insurance, registration, and finance are excluded. Only fuel purchased at the prices and consumption rates you enter is estimated.

Diesel vs petrol cost calculator

Compare annual fuel spend using your kilometres, real-world litres per 100 km, and pump prices. Defaults use our Melbourne public snapshot averages; you can swap in live board means when stations are reporting.

Read the full authority guide: Diesel vs Petrol: Which Is Better In Australia? (2026 Guide)

Quick summary

This calculator estimates annual fuel spend from distance, real-world consumption (L/100 km), and the pump prices you enter. It answers a narrow question: on fuel alone, which side of the diesel vs petrol split is cheaper at the prices and efficiencies you supply — not which car to buy.

Key takeaways

Petrol (ULP 91 here) and diesel are different fuels; the calculator never suggests putting diesel in a petrol tank or vice versa.
Small changes in L/100 km or cents per litre swing the outcome — use honest long-term figures, not brochure bests.
Melbourne defaults reflect our public snapshot or live board averages when available; you can override them for your local bowser.

Definitions

Petrol (ULP 91): Standard unleaded for spark-ignition engines rated for 91 RON. Premium grades (95/98) are not modelled in this tool unless you type their price into the petrol field.
Diesel: Road diesel for compression-ignition engines. Pump diesel often costs more per litre than ULP 91; diesel vehicles often use fewer litres per 100 km, which is why a side-by-side calculator matters.
L/100 km: Litres consumed per one hundred kilometres — the standard economy figure on Australian dashboards and spec sheets.

What the calculator compares

Use this table to see what is in scope for the estimate and what you must judge separately.

In scope and out of scope for the diesel vs petrol fuel calculator
Topic	In this tool	Out of scope
Spend driver	Fuel litres × price per litre	Finance, insurance, rego
Diesel-specific costs	Optional via price you type	AdBlue, DPF servicing (not modelled)
Vehicle choice	Hypothetical fuel bill only	Resale, depreciation, servicing schedules

Best for

Shortlisting two similar drivetrains (or comparing your current diesel ute vs a petrol alternative) when you already have realistic L/100 km and local pump prices.

Not ideal for

Declaring a "winner" car without pricing servicing, tow use, resale, or how many urban short trips you do — those factors often matter more than a narrow fuel-only spread.

Running cost comparison

Enter your annual distance, real-world consumption, and pump prices in cents per litre. We estimate fuel spend only (not rego, finance, or servicing).

Snapshot reference data as of 1 May 2026, 12:00 am. Live board pull: pending.

Kilometres per yearTypical Australian private car is roughly 12k–15k km/year.Petrol consumption (L/100 km)Diesel consumption (L/100 km)ULP 91 price (¢/L)Diesel price (¢/L)

Estimated annual fuel spend

Petrol: 1275 L · $2,416
Diesel: 975 L · $1,892

Diesel scenario saves about $524 / year on fuel.

Compare today's real listings in the directory before you change vehicles — spreads move weekly.

Cumulative fuel cost over your annual distance (model only)

How to use this responsibly

This tool models fuel purchased only. It ignores purchase price, depreciation, servicing, AdBlue, DPF maintenance, and insurance — which often dominate total cost of ownership.
Diesel pump prices in Australia frequently sit at a premium to ULP 91; a more efficient diesel engine can still win on cents per kilometre when the spread is reasonable.
Always confirm compatibility with your vehicle label before you fill. If you need octane guidance for petrol cars, see 95 vs 98 petrol explained.

Bottom line

If the annual dollar gap is small, treat it as a tie: servicing, how long you keep the car, and the actual bowser prices you pay will swamp a tiny modelled difference. Use live Melbourne listings to keep the price inputs honest.

Frequently asked questions

Does this calculator pick diesel or petrol for me?

No. It compares fuel cost at the inputs you provide. Vehicle suitability, emissions rules, and resale are separate decisions.

Why can diesel cost more per litre but still be cheaper to run?

Diesel engines often use fewer litres per 100 km. Higher price per litre can still yield a lower cost per kilometre if efficiency is better enough.

Where do default Melbourne prices come from?

From our Melbourne public fuel snapshot and board averages when stations are reporting — the same family of data that powers the directory, not a single retailer quote.

Source and scope

For methodology and how Victorian pump reporting works, see Methodology and How pricing works.

Open live station directory View fuel map

Diesel vs petrol cost calculator

Key takeaways

Petrol (ULP 91 here) and diesel are different fuels; the calculator never suggests putting diesel in a petrol tank or vice versa.

Small changes in L/100 km or cents per litre swing the outcome — use honest long-term figures, not brochure bests.

Melbourne defaults reflect our public snapshot or live board averages when available; you can override them for your local bowser.

Definitions

Petrol (ULP 91)

Standard unleaded for spark-ignition engines rated for 91 RON. Premium grades (95/98) are not modelled in this tool unless you type their price into the petrol field.

Diesel

Road diesel for compression-ignition engines. Pump diesel often costs more per litre than ULP 91; diesel vehicles often use fewer litres per 100 km, which is why a side-by-side calculator matters.

L/100 km

Litres consumed per one hundred kilometres — the standard economy figure on Australian dashboards and spec sheets.