Understanding the Price Difference
In January 2026, the average price of Mexico’s regular or Magna gasoline was 82% higher than in the United States. In Mexico, this price stood at 23.58 pesos per liter, while in the US, it was 12.92 pesos per liter.
Who is Ramsés Pech?
Ramsés Pech, an energy and economics specialist, explains this price disparity. He highlights that Mexican drivers pay the highest taxes per liter of gasoline among countries with high consumption.
Tax Burden in Mexico
In Mexico, motorists pay 10.37 pesos in taxes per liter of Magna gasoline, compared to an average of 2.58 pesos in the US per liter.
This means Mexican drivers pay four times more taxes than their US counterparts.
It’s important to note that taxes on gasoline vary by state in the US.
“The nation (the Mexican government) is winning today, as it collects twice as much revenue from IEPS compared to when the collection began,” asserts Ramsés Pech.
In 2015, the federal government collected 220 billion pesos from IEPS on gasolines and diesel. By 2025, this figure had risen to 440 billion pesos.
Mexico’s Position Among Top 10 Consumers
In January 2026, Mexico had the most expensive gasoline among the top 10 countries with the highest consumption.
- Brazil: The gasoline price was 21.31 pesos per liter, with 8.10 pesos in taxes.
- India: The price was 17.99 pesos per liter, with 8.81 pesos in taxes.
- Japan: The price was 17.81 pesos per liter, with 5.17 pesos in taxes.
- Canada: The price was 17.47 pesos per liter, with 6.64 pesos in taxes.
- Russia: The price was 15.37 pesos per liter, with 7.38 pesos in taxes.
- China: The price was 14.32 pesos per liter, with 4.58 pesos in taxes.
- Saudi Arabia: The price was 10.83 pesos per liter, with 1.62 pesos in taxes.
- Indonesia: The price was 10.48 pesos per liter, with 2.20 pesos in taxes.
These figures illustrate Mexico’s position as having one of the highest gasoline prices and taxes among major consuming nations.
