The historical gas price in Guatemala correlates directly with the international oil market, modulated by the USD/GTQ exchange rate, local taxes and — decisively in 2026 — government subsidy policy. This page tracks trends so you can anticipate movements and plan fuel expenses.
Summary: In 2026 policy moved pump prices far more than the oil market did. MEM-monitored self-service prices for the capital fell to Q31.05 regular / Q32.05 super / Q27.25 diesel on 1 July 2026 under the Decreto 11-2026 subsidy, then rose to Q41.08 / Q42.08 / Q43.80 by 3 August once the subsidy ended. Diesel is no longer the cheap fuel — it carried the largest subsidy, rose 61% in five weeks, and passed regular gasoline in the week of 20 July 2026.
2026 price path (Guatemala City metro, self-service)
| Date | Regular | Super | Diesel | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mar 2026 | Q31.88 | Q33.00 | Q31.81 | Before the subsidy |
| 8 Apr 2026 | Q40.48 | Q43.69 | Q39.48 | Highest super price in our 2026 series |
| 30 Apr 2026 | Q39.81 | Q41.12 | Q38.81 | Day before Decreto 11-2026 took effect |
| 14 May 2026 | Q36.56 | Q37.56 | Q33.81 | Subsidy in force |
| 30 Jun 2026 | Q31.33 | Q32.33 | Q27.53 | Subsidy trough |
| 1 Jul 2026 | Q31.05 | Q32.05 | Q27.25 | Last subsidised week |
| 6 Jul 2026 | Q36.01 | Q37.01 | Q35.17 | Subsidy ended 2 July |
| 13 Jul 2026 | Q38.07 | Q39.06 | Q37.58 | |
| 20 Jul 2026 | Q38.56 | Q39.56 | Q39.54 | Diesel passes regular |
| 22 Jul 2026 | Q40.07 | Q41.07 | Q42.26 | |
| 27 Jul 2026 | Q41.03 | Q42.03 | Q43.72 | |
| 3 Aug 2026 | Q41.08 | Q42.08 | Q43.80 | Latest monitored reading |
Per US gallon, self-service, Guatemala City and surrounding areas. Readings from 1 July 2026 onward are MEM’s published weekly averages; earlier dates are readings from our own daily tracker of MEM figures. Latest figure at today’s gas price.
Why the 2020-2025 table is gone. This page used to carry annual averages for 2020-2025 attributed to MEM. Its 2026 row (annual average about Q41.00, floor Q39.50) could not be reconciled with our own MEM-sourced data, which recorded super at Q33.00 in March 2026 — so the whole series is treated as unverified rather than restated. We are re-sourcing the longer-run history from MEM before republishing it.
Fuel types — typical differences
| Fuel | Price Q/gallon (3 Aug 2026) | Vs. Regular | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super (95 octane) | Q42.08 | +Q1.00 | Modern, high-compression vehicles |
| Regular (87 octane) | Q41.08 | — | Standard vehicles |
| Diesel | Q43.80 | +Q2.72 | Trucks, SUVs, diesel engines |
Self-service, Guatemala City and surrounding areas. Full-service pumps run about Q1.09 more per gallon; branded grades (V-Power and similar) add about Q0.50 on top of the standard grade.
Note: Diesel used to be the cheapest of the three. It carried the largest subsidy under Decreto 11-2026, rose 61% in the five weeks after that subsidy ended, and passed regular gasoline in the week of 20 July 2026. It has stayed above it since — it did not merely close the gap.
Seasonal patterns
We are not publishing a seasonal pattern for Guatemala yet: the month-by-month claims previously shown here were not traceable to MEM, and the one full cycle we do have on record was dominated by policy rather than season.
What actually moved 2026:
- 1 May 2026 — the Decreto 11-2026 subsidy takes effect and pump prices fall
- 2 July 2026 — the subsidy funds are exhausted and it ends
- July 2026 — regular rises 32% and diesel 61% in five weeks
A seasonal series will go back up here once we have one from MEM.
Impact of exchange rate
Guatemala imports 100% of its fuel and pays for it in dollars, so a weaker quetzal makes fuel more expensive even when international oil is flat. This site converts at the Banguat reference rate, which was Q7.6188 = US$1 on 3 August 2026 — at that rate, MEM’s prices for that day work out to about US$5.39 per gallon for regular, US$5.52 for super and US$5.75 for diesel. The quetzal-per-gallon sensitivity figure previously shown here was not sourced and has been removed.
What does NOT affect the price in Guatemala
- Time of day: a station posts one price at a time — there is no rush-hour pricing
- The day of the week: MEM monitors on a Monday, but that is an observation date, not a price reset — there is no cheap day to time
What does: the station itself. Fuel prices in Guatemala are not regulated — every station sets its own price, and MEM only monitors and publishes what stations actually charge. (Between May and July 2026 MEM did publish binding reference prices, but solely to administer the Decreto 11-2026 subsidy.)
To plan fuel expenses
If you spend regularly on fuel (truckers, Uber drivers, frequent travelers):
- Pump it yourself — self-service runs about Q1.09 per gallon below full-service, roughly Q16 on a 15-gallon fill
- Do not try to time the week — stations set their own prices and can move them any day
- Check today’s gas price before a long trip — we track MEM’s weekly monitored figures there
- Budget diesel separately — a diesel vehicle’s fuel bill rose far harder than a gasoline one in July 2026 (Q27.25 to Q43.80 per gallon)
For US-based diaspora — fuel cost for visits
If you frequently visit Guatemala and rent a car:
| Vehicle size | Gallons/100km | Cost Q/100km (regular at Q41.08) |
|---|---|---|
| Compact (1.4L) | ~5-6 gal | Q205-Q246 |
| Midsize (2.0L) | ~7-8 gal | Q288-Q329 |
| SUV (2.5L) | ~9-11 gal | Q370-Q452 |
| Large pickup | ~12-14 gal | Q493-Q575 |
Large pickups here are usually diesel — at Q43.80 the same 12-14 gallons costs Q526-Q613. The consumption column is a planning estimate, not a MEM or manufacturer figure; only the price is sourced.
Related
- Today’s Gas Price — current national prices
- Price by Department — regional variation
- Diesel vs Regular vs Premium — which fuel suits you
- Cost to Fill Tank — calculation by model
- Power Outages — energy related
Frequently Asked Questions
What has the average gas price in Guatemala been recent years?
Our tracked series starts in March 2026, and that year alone covers a huge range. MEM-monitored self-service prices for the capital had super at Q33.00 in March 2026, Q32.05 on 1 July under the Decreto 11-2026 subsidy, and Q42.08 on 3 August 2026 once the subsidy ended. Diesel is no longer the cheap grade: it was Q43.80 on 3 August, about Q2.72 above regular. Longer-run annual figures are being re-sourced from MEM.
Why does gas price fluctuate so much?
Guatemala imports 100% of its fuels. Prices reflect: (1) international oil price (Brent, WTI), (2) transport and refining costs, (3) taxes (IDP), (4) USD/GTQ exchange rate, and (5) government subsidies when they exist. Fuel prices are not regulated in Guatemala — stations set their own and MEM monitors and publishes what they actually charge, weekly for the capital.
When historically is gas most expensive?
We do not have a MEM-sourced seasonal series yet, so we are not claiming one. What the 2026 data does show is that policy moved prices far more than any season did: the Decreto 11-2026 subsidy took regular down to Q31.05 by 1 July 2026, and the end of that subsidy took regular to Q41.08 and diesel to Q43.80 within five weeks.
Where can I see the official history?
MEM’s Dirección General de Hidrocarburos publishes the Informe Ejecutivo de Precios de los Combustibles at mem.gob.gt, under Hidrocarburos, Comercialización Downstream, Precios de combustibles nacionales. It monitors Guatemala City and surrounding areas weekly; per-department figures are published monthly. Our tracked series is on this page and at /gas-prices/.
