Petrol price cycles

Petrol prices move up and down in regular patterns or cycles. The cheapest and most expensive days to buy petrol can change from cycle to cycle. Use price cycles to help you decide when to buy petrol.

Petrol price cycles in capital cities

A petrol price cycle is a movement in retail price from a low point (or trough) to a high point (or peak) to a subsequent low point. In these cycles, prices steadily go down for a period followed by a sharp increase.

Price cycles are the result of deliberate pricing policies of petrol retailers, and are not directly related to changes in wholesale costs.

The duration of petrol price cycles in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide varies from cycle to cycle, and has increased in recent years.

In 2019, price cycle durations in these capital cities ranged from a low of 13 days to a high of 38 days.

Disclaimer

Historical data can only give an indication of the cheapest and most expensive days to buy petrol in the future, so consumers should use this information as a general guide only.

The charts are updated daily from Monday to Friday at around midday, and show average daily prices for the last 45 days. Updates on Mondays include prices for the preceding Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Buying tips are usually updated around midday on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The buying tips may not always seem apparent from the charts. This is because the charts show historical prices.

The charts show average daily regular unleaded petrol for all cities.

Petrol prices in Sydney

Buying tip (updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday):

• prices are decreasing but they are likely to decrease further
• if possible, motorists should delay buying petrol until later.

The chart below shows daily average regular unleaded petrol prices in Sydney over the past 45 days.

Source: FUELtrac

Information on the past five price cycles in Sydney is shown below:

First day of cycle (low price)	No. of days to highest price in the cycle	Date of highest price in the cycle	Days to next cycle (next low price)	Total days in cycle
Sat 20 Nov 21	15	Sun 05 Dec 21	31	46
Wed 05 Jan 22	14	Wed 19 Jan 22	19	33
Mon 07 Feb 22	13	Sun 20 Feb 22	12	25
Fri 04 Mar 22	11	Tue 15 Mar 22	35	46
Tue 19 Apr 22	12	Sun 01 May 22	10	22

Petrol prices in Melbourne

Buying tip (updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday):

• prices appear to be around the lowest point of the cycle
• now is a good time for motorists to buy petrol.

The chart below shows daily average regular unleaded petrol prices in Melbourne over the past 45 days.

Source: FUELtrac

Information on the past five price cycles in Melbourne is shown below:

First day of cycle (low price)	No. of days to highest price in the cycle	Date of highest price in the cycle	Days to next cycle (next low price)	Total days in cycle
Thu 11 Nov 21	13	Wed 24 Nov 21	20	33
Tue 14 Dec 21	28	Tue 11 Jan 22	16	44
Thu 27 Jan 22	11	Mon 07 Feb 22	15	26
Tue 22 Feb 22	21	Tue 15 Mar 22	35	56
Tue 19 Apr 22	7	Tue 26 Apr 22	11	18

Petrol prices in Brisbane

Buying tip (updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday):

• prices are decreasing but they are likely to decrease further
• if possible, motorists should delay buying petrol until later.

The chart below shows daily average regular unleaded petrol prices in Brisbane over the past 45 days.

Source: FUELtrac

Information on the past five price cycles in Brisbane is shown below:

First day of cycle (low price)	No. of days to highest price in the cycle	Date of highest price in the cycle	Days to next cycle (next low price)	Total days in cycle
Fri 12 Nov 21	12	Wed 24 Nov 21	38	50
Sat 01 Jan 22	15	Sun 16 Jan 22	18	33
Thu 03 Feb 22	12	Tue 15 Feb 22	16	28
Thu 03 Mar 22	12	Tue 15 Mar 22	35	47
Tue 19 Apr 22	10	Fri 29 Apr 22	11	21

Petrol prices in Adelaide

Buying tip (updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday):

• prices appear to be around the lowest point of the cycle
• now is a good time for motorists to buy petrol.

The chart below shows daily average regular unleaded petrol prices in Adelaide over the past 45 days.

Source: FUELtrac

Information on the past five price cycles in Adelaide is shown below:

First day of the cycle (low price)	No. of days to highest price in the cycle	Date of highest price in the cycle	Days to next cycle (next low price)	Total days in cycle
Wed 12 Jan 22	8	Thu 20 Jan 22	11	19
Mon 31 Jan 22	5	Sat 05 Feb 22	11	16
Wed 16 Feb 22	10	Sat 26 Feb 22	9	19
Mon 07 Mar 22	5	Sat 12 Mar 22	31	36
Tue 12 Apr 22	11	Sat 23 Apr 22	10	21

Petrol prices in Perth

Buying tip (updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday):

• prices appear to be around the lowest point of the cycle
• now is a good time for motorists to buy petrol.

The chart below shows average daily regular unleaded petrol prices in Perth over the past 45 days.

Source: FUELtrac

Information on the past five price cycles in Perth is shown below:

First day of cycle (low price)	No. of days to highest price in the cycle	Date of highest price in the cycle	Days to next cycle (next low price)	Total days in cycle
Tue 22 Feb 22	1	Wed 23 Feb 22	13	14
Tue 08 Mar 22	2	Thu 10 Mar 22	12	14
Tue 22 Mar 22	1	Wed 23 Mar 22	13	14
Tue 05 Apr 22	1	Wed 06 Apr 22	13	14
Tue 19 Apr 22	1	Wed 20 Apr 22	13	14

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