How much do you save refuelling abroad? The net calculation at the border
Crossing the border to fill up only pays off if the saving beats the cost of the detour. This calculator does the net maths — price difference minus the fuel burned on the detour — at Italy’s land borders. Prices are pre-filled with the latest data and you can edit them with what you see at the pump.
Calculate your net saving
The detour is counted round-trip. · editable · Pre-filled: Rifuel market average
Fuel cost at Italy’s borders
| Country | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (base) | €1,953 | €2,029 |
| France | €2,017 | €2,076 |
| Austria | €1,729 | €1,878 |
| Slovenia | €1,727 | €1,763 |
Indicative values as of 2026-05-29. Italy: official self-service (MIMIT). France: official self-service (Min. Économie). Austria and Slovenia: Rifuel network market average.
Switzerland: prices are in francs (CHF) and not available here in real time. Is Switzerland worth it? Find out →
Is it really worth refuelling abroad?
It depends on two things: how wide the price gap is and how many kilometres you drive on purpose. On a 50-litre fill-up, 10 cents of difference is worth €5: if you drive 20 extra km to get it, much of it goes into detour fuel. That’s why the net saving matters, not the posted price.
Towards Slovenia and Austria the gap is almost always in your favour, even 20–30 cents per litre. Towards France the margin is tighter and the fill-up often costs as much as in Italy or more: it pays off mostly on the way back from a trip, when the detour is zero.
Rule of thumb: if you’re already heading across the border, filling up is almost always a net gain. If you drive there on purpose, do the maths — below the short break-even, the trip costs as much as it returns. For the exact price of the specific station near you, use Rifuel.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really worth refuelling abroad?
It pays off if the net saving — price difference minus the fuel burned on the detour — is positive. Towards Slovenia and Austria usually yes; towards France often no, unless you’re already passing through. The calculator above runs the maths on your numbers.
How is the net saving calculated?
Gross saving = (Italy price − foreign price) × litres filled. From this we subtract the detour cost (extra round-trip km × consumption × fuel price) and any tolls. We flag a border as worth it only if the net exceeds about €1.
What about Switzerland?
In Switzerland you pay in francs (CHF) and we don’t have a real-time national price, so it isn’t in the calculator. The advantage swings with the euro/franc exchange rate. You’ll find live maths in the Como–Chiasso guide and in the app.