Updated on 29 October 2026. The price of diesel in Chile is the fifth highest in Latin America: US$1.55 per litre (CLP 1,527.17) as of 26 October 2026, according to data from GlobalPetrolPrices, which sources Chile's figures from the National Energy Commission (CNE). The most expensive in the region is Peru, at US$1.92, and the cheapest is Ecuador, at US$0.82. The world average calculated by the same source is US$1.63.
For Chile it is a record: CLP 1,527.17 per litre is the highest value in the series GlobalPetrolPrices has tracked since November 2016. Diesel costs 59.4% more than a year ago, when it stood at CLP 958, and it is now a few pesos above petrol, which the same source puts at CLP 1,524.33 on the same date. This is the full ranking.
Diesel price ranking in Latin America
The table ranks the 17 Latin American countries with available data by the average retail price of diesel, including taxes, in US dollars per litre and in local currency. All values come from the 26 October 2026 update:
| # | Country | Diesel (US$ per litre) | Price in local currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peru | 1.92 | 6.59 soles |
| 2 | Costa Rica | 1.73 | 785 colones |
| 3 | Argentina | 1.60 | 2,463.46 Argentine pesos |
| 4 | Uruguay | 1.56 | 62.79 Uruguayan pesos |
| 5 | Chile | 1.55 | CLP 1,527.17 |
| 6 | Panama | 1.52 | 1.52 balboas |
| 7 | Bolivia | 1.51 | 17.95 bolivianos |
| 8 | Guatemala | 1.51 | 11.54 quetzales |
| 9 | Paraguay | 1.51 | 8,785 guaraníes |
| 10 | Honduras | 1.48 | 39.99 lempiras |
| 11 | Mexico | 1.44 | 26.84 Mexican pesos |
| 12 | Brazil | 1.35 | 6.99 reais |
| 13 | El Salvador | 1.28 | 1.28 US dollars |
| 14 | Dominican Republic | 1.19 | 71.54 Dominican pesos |
| 15 | Nicaragua | 1.17 | 43.22 córdobas |
| 16 | Colombia | 0.96 | 2,990.43 Colombian pesos |
| 17 | Ecuador | 0.82 | 0.82 US dollars |
Source: GlobalPetrolPrices.com, country diesel pages, 26 October 2026 update, accessed on 29 October (CC BY 4.0 licence). Bolivia, Guatemala and Paraguay are tied at US$1.51 and are listed alphabetically in Spanish. Venezuela and Cuba have no published price.
The gap between first and last place is 2.3 times: what a haulier pays for one litre in Lima buys more than two litres in Guayaquil. As with petrol, the difference is not explained by oil, which costs the same for everyone, but by each country's taxes, subsidies and exchange rate.
How much the price of diesel has risen in Chile
Chilean diesel has been rising for months. According to the GlobalPetrolPrices weekly series, which mirrors the average prices reported by the CNE, a litre went from CLP 958 a year ago to CLP 1,193 three months ago, CLP 1,303.33 a month ago and CLP 1,527.17 on 26 October:
| Reference date | Diesel in Chile (pesos per litre) | Change to 26 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| One year ago (October 2025) | CLP 958 | +59.4% |
| Three months ago (July 2026) | CLP 1,193 | +28.0% |
| One month ago (September 2026) | CLP 1,303.33 | +17.2% |
| 26 October 2026 | CLP 1,527.17 | Highest in the series since 2016 |
| 2016-2026 average | CLP 813.79 | — |
Source: GlobalPetrolPrices.com, Chile diesel series with CNE data, 26 October 2026 update. The series low was CLP 472.40, on 28 November 2016.
Most of the jump comes from the increases set by the state oil company ENAP under Mepco, the mechanism that spreads changes in international prices over time. The latest, on 22 October, raised diesel by CLP 91.5 per litre and took the cumulative increase since July to CLP 401.4, as we explained in our story on the fifth fuel price rise. The 26 October figure already includes that adjustment.
An unusual effect is that diesel now costs the same as or more than petrol. For years it was the cheapest fuel at the pump, because it pays a lower specific tax; after the recent rises, the diesel average (CLP 1,527.17) is slightly above the petrol average (CLP 1,524.33), according to GlobalPetrolPrices as of 26 October. The comparison is between national averages and may vary by station and octane.
Chile versus Peru, Argentina and Ecuador over one year
Chile is not the only country with steep increases. In Peru, the country with the region's most expensive diesel, a litre rose 63.9% in a year; in Argentina, 54.2% in local currency; and in Ecuador, where the price is regulated, only 10.8%.
In Peru, a litre went from 4.02 to 6.59 soles; in Argentina, from 1,597.81 to 2,463.46 pesos; and in Ecuador, from US$0.74 to US$0.82, according to GlobalPetrolPrices country pages as of 26 October 2026. In Argentina, part of the rise in pesos reflects devaluation, so it is worth also comparing the dollar price in the main table.
What changed in the diesel ranking in one week
A week earlier, with prices as of 19 October, Chile was eighth, at US$1.49. The 22 October increase pushed it up three places, while several neighbours fell slightly in dollar terms. That earlier ranking appears in petrol prices in Latin America, which includes a diesel table:
| Country | 19 October (US$ per litre) | 26 October (US$ per litre) | Rank on 26 October |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | 1.92 | 1.92 | 1 |
| Costa Rica | 1.73 | 1.73 | 2 |
| Argentina | 1.62 | 1.60 | 3 |
| Uruguay | 1.56 | 1.56 | 4 |
| Chile | 1.49 | 1.55 | 5 (previously 8) |
| Bolivia | 1.54 | 1.51 | 7 |
| Paraguay | 1.53 | 1.51 | 9 |
| Mexico | 1.46 | 1.44 | 11 |
| Colombia | 0.95 | 0.96 | 16 |
Source: GlobalPetrolPrices.com, 19 and 26 October 2026 updates. Changes in dollar terms for other countries reflect both price and exchange-rate movements.
Why diesel matters more than petrol for the economy
Diesel moves the economy: it powers freight trucks, intercity buses and most urban buses outside Santiago, farm machinery, mining equipment and the power system's backup plants. That is why a diesel increase feeds into freight rates and, over time, into the prices of almost everything carried by road.
To put it in perspective, this table shows the cost of 1,000 litres of diesel, roughly what a heavy truck uses on two or three long trips, at 26 October prices:
| Country | 1,000 litres (US$) | 1,000 litres (Chilean pesos, approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Peru | 1,920 | about CLP 1,892,000 |
| Costa Rica | 1,730 | about CLP 1,705,000 |
| Argentina | 1,600 | about CLP 1,576,000 |
| Chile | 1,550 | CLP 1,527,170 |
| Mexico | 1,440 | about CLP 1,419,000 |
| Brazil | 1,350 | about CLP 1,330,000 |
| Colombia | 960 | about CLP 946,000 |
| Ecuador | 820 | about CLP 808,000 |
Energía Futura calculations using GlobalPetrolPrices prices as of 26 October 2026 and the exchange rate implied by the Chilean figure (about CLP 985 per dollar). Conversions are indicative and do not include volume discounts or the specific-tax refund some transport companies can claim.
At the border, the difference no longer favours filling up on the other side as much: Argentine diesel stands at US$1.60 and Bolivian at US$1.51, very close to Chile. With Peru, by contrast, the gap is 37 cents per litre in Chile's favour.
The increase also changes the maths for the alternatives. With diesel at record highs, hydrogen and electric truck projects gain arguments, such as the HyLog Biobío pilot, with ten green hydrogen trucks between Santiago and Concepción.
The price of diesel in Chile compared with the world
Outside the region, Chilean diesel is still cheaper than in the United States and Europe, and below the world average calculated by GlobalPetrolPrices across more than 150 countries.
As of 26 October 2026, a litre of diesel cost US$2.11 in Spain, US$1.68 in the United States and US$1.55 in Chile, against a world average of US$1.63, according to GlobalPetrolPrices. That average is simple (each country weighs the same) and does not account for how much diesel each one uses. In Europe, fuel taxes are higher than in Latin America.
Methodology
Prices are those published by GlobalPetrolPrices.com on its country diesel pages, updated on 26 October 2026 and accessed on 29 October. They are average retail prices, including taxes, converted to dollars at the exchange rate used by the source. For Chile, the source cites the CNE. The 17 Latin American countries with data are included; Venezuela and Cuba have no published price. The data are published under a CC BY 4.0 licence. This ranking will be updated on this same page when prices change.
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See advertising optionsFrequently asked questions
Which country has the most expensive diesel in Latin America?
Peru, at US$1.92 per litre (6.59 soles) as of 26 October 2026, according to GlobalPetrolPrices. It is followed by Costa Rica (US$1.73) and Argentina (US$1.60).
Which country has the cheapest diesel in Latin America?
Ecuador, at US$0.82 per litre, followed by Colombia, at US$0.96. Venezuela has no published price.
How much does diesel cost in Chile?
On average, CLP 1,527.17 per litre (US$1.55) as of 26 October 2026, the highest value since the series began in 2016. That is 59.4% more than a year ago.
Why has diesel risen so much in Chile?
Because of higher international fuel prices, which Mepco passes on to the pump gradually. Since July, the increases set by ENAP add up to CLP 401.4 per litre for diesel.
How to cite this data
Energía Futura (2026). Diesel prices in Latin America 2026: country ranking and where Chile stands. Based on data from GlobalPetrolPrices.com (prices as of 26 October 2026, CC BY 4.0) and the CNE. Available at https://energiafutura.cl/en/news/diesel-prices-in-latin-america-2026-country-ranking-and-where-chile-stands. The cover chart may be reproduced with credit to Energía Futura and a link to this page.
