So, just how much do people in other countries pay for gas?

[Stanchetalarooni]

I am paying more than ever for gasoline.
Was I always paying less than others all along?
Am I still paying less and just whining about the latest increase?
Can anyone inform me?

[robertpaulsen]

1. I was in The Netherlands last year.

Then it was around $4 a gallon.

[Straight Shooter]

2. Other countries have better mass transit systems.

Populations are more concentrated. Their options are greater. Your question leads me to a question, though: Do other countries pay less for auto insurance?

I'll gladly pay more for gas in trade for a national healthcare system.

[lastliberalintexas]

22. Exactly

The OP is comparing apples to oranges.

[yvr girl]

31. Canada is about $4.00 Cdn per gallon

We are sort of spread out ourselves and the viability of transit really depends on where you live. For instance, it's OK in Vancouver proper, but sucks if you live in most of the burbs.

My car insurance is $1068 per year and that's with the maximum discount. (My car is a 1993 domestic model.) It's also only insured for pleasure use.

[Straight Shooter]

33. That's about the same for insurance, then, I guess, on average.

I really don't know. Are you under 25? If you are, then it's probably better than the States.

Yes, Canada is another one of those "big frontier" countries, lots of driving in between places, as I understand (haven't been there, yet).

[yvr girl]

39. No, I'm over 25

I get the best deal on my insurance.

[Djinn]

43. we also have considerable distances to contend with

and our petrol costs about 4 times what it does in the states. I'm not a capitalist but if the gas companies wanted to charge twice as much as they currently do people would still buy it so I'm amazed it's so low

[pscot]

3. In Germany theey're paying about $6.00 a gallon

according to my brother-in-law.

[_TJ_]

4. $4.60 in Ireland

You guys are SO obsessed by this question ;)

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. About $5.80 per US gallon in the UK

approximately 75% of that is tax in one form or another.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

40. Brazil R$ 2.29/litre = US$ 3.33/gallon

Of which, around 40% is taxes.

[illflem]

6. The price of gas varies around the world,

due to the vagaries of exchange rates but mostly because of taxes and subsidies. Assuming your car gets 35 miles per gallon, here is how far $20 USD of gas will take you in various countries around the world:

Germany: 127 miles

Japan: 147 miles

United States: 342 miles

China: 385 miles

Saudi Arabia: 771 miles

Venezuela: 4,624 miles

The data are from Foreign Policy, March/April 2005, p.18. Here's more http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/price.html

[tubbacheez]

7. Don't forget that many parts of the U.S. were designed for a high-mileage

lifestyle. Look at the way most of our newer cities are laid out. And practically all of the suburbs that sprawled out since the 60's were built with a car-driving population in mind.

[eriffle]

8. we shouldn't be complaining

I was in the UK three weeks ago it was around 85 pence a litre for unleaded which is a little less than $6/gal

[BeFree]

9. Shouldn't be complaining?

What planet are you on? America was the largest oil producer in the world at one time. Our whole lifestyle is predicated on cheap oil.

The only way America can function in its present form is for our energy costs to be as low as possible. Since, as appears to be happening, oil is gonna double in cost from last year, America is threatened.

Yes, America is in grave danger by virtue of the doubling of gasoline, and you think we shoulldn't complain? What, you want us to turn the other cheek as America is severely injured, and not complain?

[Spider Jerusalem]

16. Yes, I think you shouldn't complain.

The US is only IN this situation because of colossal shortsightedness, stupidity and hubris. As such, the only appropriate response to any complaints is laughter.

[BeFree]

28. You may laugh at us

... but the people are not laughing. They are complaining and it will reach a point where we will finally do something about it, or we will go down in flames.

Yes, furners may think it outrageous that we should complain, but really, who cares what furners think? This is America, gawd durnit, and we have to have a modicum of resposibility from our capitalists or we start complaining.

The thing is: This complaining about the b**h oil prices is the sweetest thing I've heard all year.

[Spider Jerusalem]

41. Except that I'm ONE of "us"...

and I still think we dug our own hole.

[Eureka]

10. Australia, $US 5.54 / gal

It's $A 1.10 here at the moment for a litre.

1 gal = 3.78 L (approx)

$A 4.158 / gal

$A 1 = $US 0.75 (approx)

So one gallon would cost approximately $5.54.

You folks still have it remarkably cheap.

[anakie]

18. sorry to be pedantic Eureka

But your maths are slightly out. 1 US gallon of petrol in Australia based on your figures should be about $3.43 USD. I would love to be getting a return of 5.50 USD for 4 Aussies.

[Eureka]

21. Correct you are

I guess my cover as a mathematician is blown ;) .

[Name removed]

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[Straight Shooter]

23. Blessed that I live in the +USA?

As opposed to the minus USA?

:wtf:

[riverwalker]

12. Mexico $2.06 US per gallon

Premium (Unleaded) 7.08 pesos per liter $2.44US per gallon (approx.)

Magna (Unleaded) 6.00 pesos per liter $2.06US per gallon (approx.)

Diesel 4.97 pesos per liter $1.71US per gallon (approx.)

As of March 9, 2005

[BiggJawn]

13. So, just how much do people in other countries get PAID?

Yeah, we pay less for gas than everyone else in the world.

But everyone else in the world has this intriguing thing called "Subsidized Mass Transit" to go places with. We don't.

And I think everyone else in the industrialized world makes more than we do. I make less (adjusted for inflation) than I did in 1981, and I'm told I'm "Middle-Class"?

And they can spend more at the gas station because they don't have to pay as much at the Doctor's office or College Bursar's office...I spend $75 a month at the pharmacy for "maintenance pills", and that's WITH coverage.

[Eureka]

14. Not everyone

We don't have very much subisdised mass transit here in Australia.

And we are big and well dispersed too. About 90% the size of the US, Queensland is our second biggest state, and is 2.5 times the size of Texas, so we also need private vehicles to get around.

The average wage in Aus is $40k (Aus currency, thats rougly 30k US)

We do have cheaper access to medical care but we also have to pay a % of our income on top of taxes for that (plus some other less relevant things) so it's not exactly free, but it sounds heaps better than the US system.

[Tinoire]

17. Lol. No offense but you guys are as bad as the US & the UK

when it comes to exploiting people (ok, a wee bit better ;) )

It's seemed to me for a long time that there's something seriously wrong with the reasoning of the entire Anglo bloc.

I'd be fascinated to see side by side comparisons of taxes vs what you get for your taxes for all the major countries.

[Eureka]

20. I'm not sure I understand

the bit about the exploitation. ?? The only exploitation I can see is the exploitation of the tax payers for the benefit of the corporates and politians, maybe that's it :)

I recall some sort of survey, possibly of OECD countries, which shows Aussies being the second highest taxed nation, behind one of the European nations. (I apologise for not finding a link, but I am at work so, you know :) )

As for what we get back of it... I guess that's open for discussion and depends on personal circumstances. My partner and I both get "above the average" for our wages and don't get anything directly back as such (well, no direct govt payments of which there are lots here) so we are probably net contributors in that sense.

I'd be fascinated by the side by side too, and of course more than happy to give you any details of how things work here if it helps in the comparison. (And as an aside, we have gun laws that seem to be right down the middle of the American way, it could be an interesting discussion too :) )

[Tinoire]

27. Yes that exploitation is part of it

but also the theft of the land, the resources and the shabby treatment of the Aborigenes. It's beautifully parallel to what we did in the US to the native Americans. The main exploitation I was referring to however was the exploitation of the third world. The way Australia flouted international law and appropriated most of the oil/gas reserves in the Timor Sea robbing East Timor blind.

Nothing seems to change. Call it UK, US or Australia- the MO is always the same... Might makes right and to the superior beings go the superior spoils :(

Anytime the US or UK needs a "coalition" we can always count on Australia- that's why I called it the Anglo Bloc... all the Queen's children... Sorry for being so choppy... Rushing to get a report out...

Australia pushes ahead with grab for Timor oil and gas
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/apr2004/etim-a30.shtml

Australia rapped on oil deal
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/21/1079823239984.html

[Eureka]

30. Oh That!!!!!!!

You mean our crappy efforts to be a colonial power? You mean how we appeased the Indonesian Govt when they first took E. Timor then sent the army to get it back when we wanted the oil? Or you mean how we don't support similar movements in Indonesion territories that don't have oil and gas? You mean how we gave jobs to Aboriginals but kept their pay (not slavery, we paid them, they just couldn't look after the money so we kept it)? Or stole them from their parents to put them in missions? Or do you mean the way we still discriminate against them by making it illegal in some areas to have alcohol specifically because they are black?
{continue almost ad infinitum}

Nope, I still dont get it :-) Australia has never exploited anyone (who is a rich white christian male currently in government)

Seriously though, thanks for explaining to me what you meant Tinoire, good luck with the report

[Tinoire]

32. LMAO! Thank you!

Thank you for the first real laugh I've had in a real long time.

Yes lol. Oh THAT!

Are you serious about the alcohol ban? What on earth is that about? I mean, how exactly is it worded? Is it certain areas that are dry or is it specifically targetted at the aborigenes? Either way it sucks but I'm curious about how overt it is. I remember that when Bowie was filming "Let's Dance" in Australia, he was shocked at some of the more overt racism but I can't recall exactly what now. They filmed in some backwater town I think...

Tell me more.

[Eureka]

35. Unfortunately, way to serious about the grog ban

http://www.mcmc.qld.gov.au/community/restricted.php

Yep, specifically a ban for Indiginous Communities. Typically, very remote communities way up north. In fact, one state Gov minister was sacked after a controversy that arose because she had a bottle of wine (unopened) on the aircraft that flew her to such a community. It never left the plane, but someone saw it through a window. The coverup did the damage, not the wine, but still.

So yeah, they may be adults with a vote who can enlist in the armed forces and make life and death decisions, but they can't decide whether to have a beer.

The racism isn't as overt as it once was, generally society is reasonably accepting of others, but gee if you luck out and get born an aboriginal then, well, that is indeed very bad luck.

I can't find where Lets Dance was filmed, but hey, most of the country is backwater towns (without the water, a bit dry here).

[anakie]

37. and this alcohol ban in some communities

adds in some way to the alcohol problem within Aboriginal society. There are many dry communities in the Northern Territory where all vehicular traffic into these communities is checked for alcohol. Too get around the ban the local people head off to 'town' eg, Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs where drinking is legal. And when they get there they binge and like many alcoholics (black, white, red and yellow) become obnoxious when under the influence. Problem in the territory is that black alcoholism is highly visible where white alcoholism is, to some extent, hidden in the home.

Or the locals will go to town, buy a boot (trunk) full of liquor and stop in the bush before they get home and drink it all. Booze is a problem but I dont know how effective the grog bans are.

ps. wet enough today for you Eureka. Hardly stopped all day in Eumundi.

[Eureka]

38. Nah, not wet enough yet

We sorely missed the summer rains. We've had about 35 mm this week but it just isn't enough, since we got less than half of the regular summer amount. The cows might have to go on a diet this winter I think, but at least this small amount tops up the water tanks. It's only rained once here today (at the Uni, not at home).

As for the grog troubles, I imagine that it would be pretty hard for community leaders to get any respect from the younguns if they aren't considered responsible enough to make these sorts of decisions for themselves. If the Govt treats them like a "bunch of hopeless boongs" then it's hardly surprising they act that way, it's a bit self perpetuating from where I sit (same goes for everyone else BTW)

[BiggJawn]

46. Sounds like what we have on the "Indian" Reservations...

No Booze allowed there, either.

[Djinn]

44. the public transport in Australia is knackered

I live within 10 km of the CBD and even there public transport is shithouse - takes me about 30 minutes to drive to work - public transport takes over two hours (one way)

Wages need to be taken into account but more specifically what that wage represents - ie the buying power, so while Australian incomes are higher most goods and services (excluding medical) are cheaper in the US and Australians pay a much higher (on average) percentage of their wage to taxes so the buying power is roughly equitable.

The US has some of the cheapest petrol in the world. While every now and then I gasp at how much fillnig my tank costs it's STILL cheaper than it could be.

[Tinoire]

15. You beat me to it. Cheaper gas but no healthcare, no free education

no pension, no decent welfare system, etc... but the Bushista gas companies would just LOVE for you to suck it up consoled that the people getting their healthcare for free, their education for free are paying more.

Lol. And as you pointed out, no real mass transit anywhere in sight. Whatever there used to be was deliberately destroyed.

[Name removed]

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[Straight Shooter]

24. "give it to someone not as fortunate as you"

Why not do what Jesus did, and give it all to those less fortunate? Whatsoever ye do unto the least of these ...

Oh, wait. Nevermind. :eyes:

[Name removed]

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[ScreamingMeemie]

26. ROFL...and the opportunities abound in this outsourcing country...

don't they? Welcome to DU. And thanks for a huge laugh.

[Straight Shooter]

34. Darn, the mods took our plaything away.

Oh, well, there's a freeper born every minute, another one will be along soon enough. :P

[ScreamingMeemie]

36. Ah well, it's always fun while it lasts.

:hi:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

29. How much do we pay for oil wars and subsidies to oil co's for that gas?

When you factor that in, the cost isn't as cheap as you allege...how much blood per gallon does your vehicle run on?

[da_chimperor]

42. Here in the north of the Netherlands it's $6.05 per US gallon.

That's EUR 1.284 per liter for the cheap stuff over here, 95 octane. I'm glad I have a bike. Ouch.

Edit: I have a funny feeling that my math may be kinda off . . . but i'm not sure. :shrug:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

45. Japan is usually around $4 a gallon

However, they not only have some of the best public transit (both within and between cities) in the world but a majority of little tiny cars.