Dominican Republic Among Latin America's Most Expensive Gasoline Markets

Uruguay, Barbados and Cuba top the list of the most expensive fuel in the Americas. The Dominican Republic ranks in the top 10, above the Caribbean average.

Gasoline prices across the Americas reached their most tense level in three years in 2026, according to Periódico elDinero. The increase is tied to the war between the United States and Israel with Iran, which began in February, the partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure. Crude oil topped US$100 per barrel in October.

According to GlobalPetrolPrices data as of October 26, 2026, the global average gasoline price reached US$1.59 per liter, 19.38% higher than a year earlier. Diesel rose even further, above US$6 per gallon in the United States.

In Latin America, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive country is enormous. Venezuela sells gasoline at US$0.035 per liter thanks to state subsidies, while Uruguay charges US$2.25, roughly 64 times more. According to the outlet, that gap is explained mainly by each government's fiscal policy rather than crude prices alone, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and ECLAC warn.

According to GlobalPetrolPrices, Uruguay tops the continent's list, with a tax burden close to 45%. Barbados follows at US$2.12 per liter, and Cuba at US$2.00. Belize ranks fourth at US$1.91, and the Bahamas fifth at US$1.78.

The top 10 also includes Costa Rica, at US$1.68 per liter, and Peru, at US$1.67. According to the report, Peru produces crude, but its fuel prices track the international market.

The Dominican Republic registers US$1.56 per liter, with taxes near 40%. The same source says that price is above the Caribbean average of US$1.44. The outlet notes that the volatility of the peso and the cross-subsidy on LPG keep pressure on prices.

Chile and Mexico close the top 10, at US$1.54 and US$1.51 per liter, respectively.